A French judge will decide tomorrow whether to let a Paris auction house sell dozens of items central to an Arizona tribe’s religious practices.

A lawyer for the Hopi Tribe and the association Survival International argued at a hearing  against the auction of the kachina masks, urging the court to suspend it so that their origin can be determined.

The judge said a ruling will come down tomorrow near noon, just before the sale is scheduled to begin.

The Hopi Tribe contends the items were stolen and has asked the auction house to prove otherwise. The items are considered communal property of the Hopi Tribe.

The auction house’s lawyer argued that the items are cultural artifacts that have been bought and sold several times.