Egyptian archaeologists digging near the Saqqara pyramids, 15 miles south of Cairo, have discovered what may be "the most beautiful mummy ever found in Egypt," Zahi Hawass, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council for Antiquities, announced on Tuesday.

Dating from about 2,600 years ago, the mummy was unearthed two weeks ago, buried in a wooden sarcophagus beneath 20 feet of sand in the necropolis of King Teti, who ruled Egypt more than 4,300 years ago...

[More]   Discovery Channel News, USA, May 3, 2005.

cf. Egypt teams finds 'beautiful' 30th Dynasty mummy, Reuters via Yahoo! News, USA, May 3 2005.

cf. 21 picture Slideshow, Yahoo! News, USA, May 4, 2005.

If you are quick you may still be able to find this issue at your newsagent.

Abydos: Life and death at the dawn of Egyptian civilization

New evidence shows that human sacrifice helped populate the royal city of the dead.

King Aha, "The Fighter," was not killed while unifying the Nile's two warring kingdoms, nor while building the capital of Memphis.   No, one legend has it that the first ruler of a united Egypt was killed in a hunting accident after a reign of 62 years, unceremoniously trampled to death by a rampaging hippopotamus.   News of his demise brought a separate, special terror to his staff.   For many, the honor of serving the king in life would lead to the more dubious distinction of serving the king in death.

Abydos: Egyptian Afterlife, National Geographic Magazine, USA, Vol 207., No. 4, April 2005.