By Natalie Pearce
Many think that UAP sightings are a fairly recent spectacle, with countless people thinking contact began in 1947 in Roswell. Well, if you take a look back in history, in art from thousands of years ago, the depictions of crafts, lights and supposed aliens are in fact a common theme. Even dating back to cave paintings, alien life can be found in pictures.
Of course, art is subjective and often an artist paints in a style that can be interpreted in a number of ways. Religious iconography has long since been embraced into art and could also be represented in a number of symbolic ways. Some historians say the images that we decode as UAPs could be the artist depicting angels in heaven, but could it be a simple demonstration that crafts have been visiting us for a long time?
Today, even the Vatican state that there is the possibility of life out there on other planets, of course citing this as a further creation by God.
Below we look at some examples of how the images of UAPs have appeared in a variety of art through the decades, leaving you to decide what the artist was representing in their images.
The Baptism of Christ
Painted in 1710 by Aret De Gelder, this piece of art shows a disk beaming light down on Christ as he is baptised by John. The piece very much resembles what we think of as a common flying saucer.
Tenture de la Vie de la Vierge
This piece of art, created by an unknown artist in 1330, shows a very clear saucer-shaped object in the background. It is part of a set of tapestries, of which there are fourteen in total. During World War Two, the tapestry set was evacuated to the Dordogne and eventually returned in 1943 to Mont Saint -Odile by order of the Reich. Each year during advent, they are displayed to the public.
The Annunciation with Saint Emidus
Painted by Carlo Crivelli in 1486, this piece of art depicts the Virgin Mary learning she will be giving birth to Christ. The piece shows a saucer shaped object, surrounded by bright lights, beaming light towards Mary. Could the artist be showing a cloud or even the presence of an angel? If so, why show it as a saucer shaped object?
The Miracle of the Snow
Hanging in a museum in Naples, this art from 1423, painted by Masolino da Panicale, shows Jesus and the Virgin Mary observing from above. Below is a crowd of women and men witnessing the miracle. It shows a fleet of what appear to be saucer shaped craft in the sky above the gathered people.
Indian Rock Paintings
Discovered by a team of Indian archaeologists, these rock paintings are believed to be 10,000 years old. So convinced were the team that discovered them, they sought help from NASA believing them to show proof of extra-terrestrial life. The creatures are depicted with weapons and little in the way of facial features. The area within India that these paintings were discovered is one with multiple religions, however what they all have in common is the story passed down by generations about the ‘Rohela People’- the small sized ones who landed from the sky in round shaped flying objects and used to take away one or two villagers who never returned.
Monastery Art
The above piece of art can be found on a wall in a 14th century monastery in Romania and has been dated back to the 16th century. It shows what looks like a UAP with smoke coming from it. Some researchers believe it to depict Elijah’s ascension to heaven, but others believe it to be cast iron evidence that aliens have visited Earth for centuries.
The image, first cast into the public eye by a tourist visiting the area, also depicts a church burning and bright lights in the sky above. Below the image is a biblical quote written in German which helps us date the piece, however the most interesting fact is that the art is located in the hometown of Vlad Tepes who is believed to be the person the legend of Dracula is based upon. Could there be a link between vampires and aliens as some have suggested?
The crucifixion of Christ
Located in a Serbian Monastery, this art was painted in 1350. To either side of Jesus are two flying objects in the sky. This fascinating piece also has conflicting beliefs around the supposed UAPs with some art historians believing they represent the sun and the moon. Others believe that they show aliens in space suits and reveal the contact of such with the rest of humanity.
Madonna with St Giovannio
Painted in the 15th century, this art shows a Shepard and his dog looking to the sky where a strange, illuminated craft is hovering. There is debate around the true artist of this work with both Jacopo del Sellaio and his brother-in-law Sebastiano Mainardi in the running. The large painting shows Madonna nursing a baby Jesus and St John. It currently hangs in the Pallazo Vecchio in Venice.
Egyptian Hieroglyphics
Found in the temple of Seti I, and dating back around 5000 years, the art depicts what appears to be a modern-day jet and helicopter and what looks like a UAP. Yet the jet and the helicopter had not yet been created at this time. So what else could it mean?
The above symbol that has a striking resemblance to what we think a UAP looks like is littered among numerous hieroglyphic panels on ancient Egyptian temples. What else could this symbol be trying to say? The Egyptians also had depictions of alien beings:
Compelling evidence?
or just an artist’s imagination?
