Zendaya’s latest red carpet appearance has become the centre of an online debate after the actress wore a pair of rare 3,000-year-old Iranian gold earrings while promoting Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey. While many fashion enthusiasts praised the historic jewellery, others questioned the ethics of wearing ancient cultural artefacts as luxury accessories.
The actress attended The Odyssey promotional event in London wearing a custom white Jacquemus halter gown inspired by ancient Greek drapery. She completed the monochrome ensemble with white Christian Louboutin pumps, but it was her earrings that stole the spotlight.
Jewellery with centuries of history
Zendaya’s earrings featured authentic ancient Iranian gold plaques sourced through London-based antique jewellery dealer Barron London. The gold discs date back to the first millennium BCE, making them roughly 2,000 to 3,000 years old.
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The historic pieces were carefully reset into contemporary 18-carat yellow gold and diamond settings, blending ancient craftsmanship with modern jewellery design. According to experts, each disc features a radiating sun motif, an important symbol found across the ancient Near East. In Assyrian culture, the sun disc represented Shamash, the deity associated with justice, divine authority and protection.
The story behind the ancient treasure
The gold artefacts are believed to originate from the Ziwiye (Zivia) Treasure, discovered in 1947 near Saqqez in Iran’s Kurdistan region.
Villagers unearthed a bronze coffin filled with gold objects, many of which were broken apart and sold before archaeologists could properly document the discovery. Over time, pieces from the treasure found their way into museums and private collections worldwide, including the British Museum, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Museum of Iran.
Why are people criticising the look?
While many fashion fans admired Zendaya’s styling and praised the fusion of history and haute couture, critics argued that wearing ancient cultural artefacts as fashion accessories raises ethical questions.
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Some archaeologists and heritage advocates questioned the provenance of the jewellery and whether historically significant objects should be displayed as luxury accessories. Others argued that cultural artefacts from the Global South should not be treated as fashion statements, particularly given ongoing debates around the ownership and repatriation of historical treasures.
The criticism also gained momentum on social media, where users debated whether preserving such artefacts in museums and collections should take precedence over celebrity styling.
Fashion meets history
Despite the controversy, Zendaya’s look is being viewed as another example of her signature “method dressing” during The Odyssey press tour. Throughout the promotional campaign, the actress has embraced Grecian-inspired fashion that reflects her role as Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of Homer’s epic.
FAQs
Why are Zendaya’s earrings controversial?
The earrings are believed to contain authentic ancient Iranian gold artefacts dating back around 3,000 years. Critics argue that using historically significant objects as fashion accessories raises ethical and cultural heritage concerns.
What film was Zendaya promoting?
Zendaya wore the historic jewellery while promoting Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, in which she plays the Greek goddess Athena.
