King Tut – Tutankhamun, who ruled from the age of nine to 19 (1332-1323 BCE) is today probably ancient Egypt's best known ruler (apologies to Cleopatra as well as Ramses II, actually ancient Egypt's most influential ruler), only because his tomb was the only one ever to be found intact when it was discovered in 1922; because all the others had long been subjected to robbery and desecration (more on that later, too), the boy king's tomb is considered the most spectacular discovery in the history of archaeology. His mummy here (above) lays in quiet repose – not really surprising for a mummy, many others in Cairo's new Grand Egyptian Museum, the world's largest of archaeology. Egyptians sought to preserve the bodies of the dead so that the soul could inhabit them for eternity. Six thousand years may not be eternity, but it ain't beanbag. Among the artifacts of the boy king - numbering about 5,000 - are gold coffins, furnishings, gold jewelry of all sorts adorning fingers and toes, elaborate necklaces and headpieces.

Read more in Tripatini member Fyllis Hockman's post In Egypt, in Awe - of 6,000 Years of History.