Tom Martinez, age 13, of Chester, Penna., for his question:

WHO ARE THE TARTARS?

Tartars was the name given early Mongol people of Central Asia. They lived in northeastern Gobi during the 400s but were driven southward by the Khitan tribes. During the 800s, the Tartars founded the Mongolian Empire.

In the 1200s, the Mongols began a movement through Hungary, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Russia and Bulgaria.

The term Tartar today describes peoples of Turkish origin and other groups who live in western Asia and the European part of Russia. Their physical features and original stocks depend upon where they live.

Most of the present day Tartars are Muslims and speak some form of the Turkish language. Some are nomads while others have settled premanently and worked on farms or gardens.

Tartar comes from the Manchu ward "tatar," which means "nomad." Tatar took the form of Tartar because it was associated with "Tartarus," the word for a mythical Hades.