Golden Coffin To Be Returned To Egypt And Other Headlines

UNITED STATES

Golden Coffin on Display at the Met Is Going Back to Egypt

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's golden coffin is worth nearly $4 million and originally held the remains of an influential 1st century BC priest, Nedjemankh. Recent investigations determined that the coffin was stolen from the Minya region in Egypt in 2011 during a political uprising. Smugglers took the object to Germany by way of Dubai, then to France where a Parisian dealer sold it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in July 2017.

Investigators discovered that the coffin was stolen after viewing falsified documents that claimed to prove its authenticity. The investigation is ongoing and prosecutors have not yet announced charges against any antiquities traffickers. After seven years of investigation the coffin will now go on public display in Egypt.

Patch.com: Met's Stolen Golden Coffin Is Going Back to Egypt: DA CNN: Stolen gold coffin displayed at the Met returned to Egypt Artnet: Last Year the Met Spent $4 Million on a Golden Sarcophagus. It Turned Out to Be Looted. Now They Had to Send It Back. Arizona Court Rules in Favor of Christian Artists' Ability to Deny Service on Basis of Religious Beliefs

Two artists specializing in hand-painted wedding invitations sued the city of Phoenix, Arizona, arguing that the city's interpretation of a criminal law illegally controlled artistic expression and ignored religious liberty. The Phoenix law at issue made it illegal for business owners to deny service to same-sex couples on the basis of religion. The artists stated that they would provide service to any customer regardless of sexual preference, but refused to produce invitations with custom messages surrounding a same-sex wedding ceremony, arguing that this directly violated their Christian beliefs. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the use of a criminal law to compel Christian artists to create wedding invitations that conflict with their beliefs violates the artists' freedom of speech and free exercise rights under Arizona's Free Exercise of Religion Act.

CBN News: "Free to Communicate Their Beliefs": AZ High Court Rules Christian Artists Still Have Rights Native American Artist Challenges Missouri Law over Labeling of "Native-Made" Work

Peggy Fontenot is challenging a Missouri law that excludes her artwork from the definition of an "Authentic American Indian art." Fontenot is a member of the Powhatan Patawomeck Tribe of Virginia. Although Fontenot resides in California and sells her work throughout the country, she could face fines or...