It promises to be a singular sensation.

Starting this weekend, Atlanta is the only place on Earth to come face to face with two of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century: the tombs of Egyptian King Tutankhamun and China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi.

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CRAIG SIMONS/STAFF

Life-size terra cotta statues on display at the High Museum will include warriors, scribes and a chariot horse.

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From the temple at Karnak, this unusual statue was modeled in unbaked clay with the features of Egyptian King Amenhotep III.

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THE EXHIBITS

• King Tut: Highlights of the show
  • Review: Splendid! • Photos: Exhbit opens | Sneak peek
  • Full event info
• Terracotta Army: 90,000 already signed up
  • Review: Worthy, but not awesome • Photos: Carter attends preview
  • Full event info
• Complete coverage

Although actual artifacts found in the tombs are the centerpieces of two exhibitions, not far from each other in Midtown, both aim to create a context to enrich the experience of those objects.

At the Civic Center, “Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs” spans 2,000 years of Egyptian art and history. At the High Museum, “The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army” will build a portrait of this historic figure and the process of making the famous warrior figures.

Some advance info to get you started:

BOY KINGS

• Tut 1341-1323 B.C. Crowned at 9, he met a mysterious, untimely death at 18. His claim to fame is his tomb, the only completely intact one thus far discovered, and the treasures in it, one of the greatest archaeological finds in history.

• Qin 260-210 B.C. Crowned at 13, he is a towering figure in Chinese history with an enduring legacy. He united feudal China into one kingdom, first through military success, then by interlinking the country through canals, roads and the standardization of script, coins, weights and measures. He began the construction of the Great Wall.

TOMBS

Both cultures believed in an afterlife, and their tombs were stocked with all that they would need in the next world.

• Tut: His tomb was smaller than the typical royal digs, possibly because of his death at such a young age. Instead of a labyrinthine arrangement of underground corridors and chambers, his was four small chambers hewn into the limestone floor of the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

• Qin: His tomb, a huge mound, and the large pits around it cover 19 square miles. He aimed to create a parallel universe for his afterlife home. According to historical accounts, the tomb even featured channels filled with mercury to mimic China’s rivers.

DISCOVERY

• Tut: British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered Tut’s tomb on the last day of an expedition in 1922. He uncovered a staircase that led to a blocked door stamped with royal seals and Tut’s name. It took 10 years to empty the tomb and conserve its contents. Among its 5,000 objects were furniture, a chariot and crates of food as well as shabtis — miniature replicas of servants — and canopic jars holding his organs.

• Qin: Farmers digging a well near the city of Xi’an in western China uncovered a few tantalizing fragments of soldier figures in 1974, which led to the uncovering of the first pit containing life-size terra cotta soldiers who were guarding the tomb. Archaeologists estimate that there are 7,000 warriors. The ongoing excavation has turned up other figures — scribes, entertainers —as well as bronze chariots and weapons. The actual tomb has not been touched and may never be.

IN ATLANTA

• Tut: Artifacts — including sculptures, funerary objects, jewelry and furniture — that span 2,000 years of Egyptian history, including 50 from Tut’s tomb and the latest CT scans of his mummified remains.

• Qin: One hundred objects, including 15 life-size figures (warriors, a scribe, entertainers and a chariot horse). Plus such artifacts as coins, bronze weapons and stone armor.

IF YOU GO

“The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army.” Nov. 16-April 19. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays; until 8 p.m. Thursdays; noon-5 p.m. Sundays. High Museum of Art. 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-4444. www.high.org.

• Tickets: $18; $15, seniors and students with IDs; $11, children 6-17; free for members and children 5 and under.

“Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs.” Nov. 15-May 25. 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily. Atlanta Civic Center. 395 Piedmont Ave. 40523-6275. www.carlos.emory.edu, www.kingtut.org, ticketmaster.com

• Tickets: Mondays-Thursdays: $27.50; $24, students/seniors; $16.50 children 6-17. Fridays-Sundays: $32.50, $29.50, students/seniors; $16.50, children 6-17. Free for children 5 and under. Plus $3.75 per ticket fee and $3.50 per order fee.

Joint ticket for both shows: Tuesdays-Thursdays: $39, adults; Fridays-Sundays: $41; adults; $25, ages 6-17; free for 5 and younger. www.atlanta.net, www.woodruffcentertickets.org. For group tickets of 10 or more, call 1-866-524-7687.