This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

A New View of the Boy King

More than 3,000 years ago, a boy named Tutankhamen ruled over Egypt. Last week, for the first time, the public could look into the young king's face. Archaeologists moved the mummified king from his stone sarcophagus, or coffin, to a glass case.

In 1922, the British explorer Howard Carter discovered King Tut's tomb, filled with treasures. The boy king's golden mask became one of the most famous objects from the ancient world. The actual face of the mummy now looks like black clay, and he seems to have buckteeth. The ancient Egyptians preserved bodies through a process known as mummification. They used spices, salts, minerals and oils to treat the body and then wrapped it in strips of cloth.

Tut became pharaoh when he was about 9 years old. He ruled for 10 years, until his death. Although he was not Egypt's most important or powerful ruler, his story has captured the imagination of generations.

Moving Tut to a new resting place is part of a plan to protect the fragile body from heat and humidity. "Now, the mummy is safe," Zahi Hawass, Egypt's top archaeologist, told TFK. He is leading a new expedition to look for more hidden tombs this winter. "I am convinced that the sands of Egypt still hold many secrets that will fascinate us for years to come."

Next: Beached Bananas