A new exhibition featuring more than 130 treasures from the tomb of the celebrated pharaoh King Tut and additional ancient sites will begin a United States tour this fall.

A canopic stopper (left) with four hollowed out sections held the internal organs of Tutankhamun, with each of the compartments having a lid in the form of his head. The royal name on both the chest and its outer shrine appears original, suggested that Tutankhamun did not usurp the container from a predecessor. The collar below, found on the body of Neferuptah, daughter of Amenemhat III, might have been worn in life and was included in the tomb for her use in the afterlife. "Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" will premiere November 15 at the Atlanta Civic Center, presented by the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University. The exhibition remain in Atlanta until May 22, 2009, when it will go to the Indianapolis Children's Museum.

"Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" is the second National Geographic exhibition dedicated to the remarkable treasures of King Tutankhamun and ancient Egyptian royalty. The first exhibition, "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," was visited by nearly four million people during its four-city U.S. tour from 2005 to 2007, and will begin a threecity encore tour in Dallas later this year.

All Photos © Sandro Vannini "Tutankhamun's magic still captures the hearts of people all over the world, even though more than 75 years have passed since the discovery of his amazing tomb," said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. "America has welcomed the golden king, and now he returns, bringing with him all the great pharaohs of Egypt. This exhibition will raise much-needed funds for the preservation of Egypt's monuments and the construction and renovation of museums throughout the country. I always say that Egyptian antiquities are the heritage of the

Proceeds from the tour will go toward antiquities preservation and conservation efforts in Egypt, including the construction of a new grand museum in Cairo. Tickets can be reserved for the Atlanta run at www.kingtut.org or www.carlos.emory.edu.

This golden funeral mask lay over the head, chest and part of the shoulders of the mummy of Psusennes I as a layer of protection. The royal headdress with ureaus cobra and the divine false beard he wears attest to his royal and godly status. The use of gold, considered the flesh of the gods, reaffirmed his divinity in the afterlife. "Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" will feature striking objects from some of the most important rulers throughout 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, from the 4th Dynasty into the Late Period (about 2600 B.C. - 660 B.C.). Derived from a variety of contexts, including temples and royal and private tombs, many of these artifacts have never before visited the United States.

The exhibition will highlight more than 50 treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb and more than 70 artifacts representing other pharaohs and notables, along with the latest scientific research about King Tut. The storyline will focus on the splendor of the Egyptian pharaohs, their function in the earthly and divine worlds, and what kingship meant to the Egyptian people.

Tutankhamun's golden sandals have engraved decoration that replicates woven reeds. Created specifically for the afterlife, they still covered the feet of Tutankhamun when Howard Carter unwrapped the mummy. "Tutankhamun is truly a worldwide sensation, and now, with two touring exhibitions focused on this legendary king, Americans are fortunate to have access to such an unprecedented wealth of items representing Egypt's heritage," said John Norman, president, Arts and Exhibitions International. "The two prior visits of King Tut's treasures to the U.S. were among the most successful exhibits in national history. We anticipate that this new exhibition of entirely new objects will similarly captivate the nation."

Visitors will encounter artifacts from some of the most powerful rulers of Egypt, such as Khefren, whose great pyramid is the only remaining structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world; Hatshepsut, the queen who became king; and Psusennes I, whose magnificent golden death mask will be on display.

Numerous colossal sandstone images of Amenhotep IV enhanced the colonnade of the king's temple to the Aten at East Karnak. The double crow, top the nemes-headdress, alludes to the living king as representative of the sun god. "Egypt's ancient treasures are among the world's greatest cultural legacies," said Terry Garcia, executive vice president, National Geographic Society. "Even with the great wealth of research that already exists, new technologies continue to open up the past in ways never imagined. Visitors to this exhibit will not only see stunning artifacts spanning 2,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, but they will also learn more about the life and death of Tutankhamun through recent CT scans conducted on his mummy."

Four galleries devoted to King Tut will correspond to the four rooms of his nearly intact tomb where the treasures were discovered by British explorer Howard Carter in 1922. Legendary artifacts from the antechamber, the annex, the treasury and the burial chamber will include Tutankhamun's golden sandals, jewelry, furniture, weaponry and statuary.

The exhibition also will include the largest image of King Tut ever found - a 10- foot statue that originally may have stood at Tutankhamun's mortuary temple and retains much of its original paint. One of the four gold and preciousstone inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs also will be exhibited.

The final gallery will feature CT scans of Tutankhamun that were obtained as part of a landmark, Egyptian research and conservation project, partially funded by National Geographic, that will CT-scan the ancient mummies of Egypt. The Tutankhamun scans were captured through the use of a portable CT scanner, donated by Siemens Medical Solutions, which allowed researchers to compile the first three-dimensional picture of Tutankhamun and discover more about his life and death.

The Michael C. Carlos Museum will lead the development of educational materials in conjunction with the exhibition for elementary, middle and high school audiences. These supplemental materials will be downloadable for free to classrooms across the country and will address topics such as childhood in ancient Egypt and how the journey to the afterlife was believed to occur.

Northern Trust, which serves as the presenting sponsor for "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," will also be the presenting sponsor for this new exhibition.

"For nearly 120 years, Northern Trust has worked to bring communities together to celebrate rich cultural experiences, such as the Tutankhamun exhibits, because we understand the importance of arts education and preservation," said Frederick H. Waddell, president and chief executive officer of Northern Trust Corporation. "We have truly enjoyed being part of the Tutankhamun phenomenon, and we look forward to the launch of this second exhibit as we help preserve the history of Egypt and further the cause to protect these very important and invaluable treasures."

Tutankhamun was one of the last kings of Egypt's 18th Dynasty and ruled during a crucial, turmoil-filled period in Egyptian history. The boy king died under mysterious circumstances around age 18 or 19, in the ninth year of his reign (1323 B.C.).