Red-carpet jewelry rarely starts an international ethics debate, but ancient gold discs can apparently do the trick.
Zendaya has come under fire from historians and archaeologists after wearing 3,000-year-old Iranian earrings at a July 5 photocall in London for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. The pieces were sourced by Barron London, a Mayfair dealer in antique jewelry, and are described as Ziwiye gold medallion plaques from circa first millennium BCE Iran, mounted by Glenn Spiro with diamonds in yellow gold.
The earrings completed a custom white Jacquemus halter gown styled by ZendayaZendaya's longtime collaborator Law Roach, referencing Athena, the Greek goddess she plays in the film. That creative choice is where the trouble started. Archaeologist Dr. Raven Todd DaSilva discussed the provenance in an Instagram video, declaring "Black market antiquities are super uncool." She also said she hoped Zendaya would speak with her stylist so future choices would avoid "amplifying neocolonialism."
So what is the Ziwiye hoard, exactly? It is a treasure trove of gold, silver, and ivory objects uncovered near Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran in 1947. Villagers in the Kurdistan region reportedly found a coffin filled with priceless gold artifacts, and because no archaeologists were present, the pieces were taken and sold individually. Items attributed to the hoard now sit in the Metropolitan Museum, the Louvre, and the British Museum. Archaeologist Oscar White Muscarella has questioned the entire account of the finding, noting that none of the items were excavated under proper conditions.
The earrings were authenticated by London art dealer David Aaron and sold to Spiro in 2016, with Barron acquiring them in 2025. In a statement sent to ARTnews, Charlie Barron said the pieces "have not been offered for sale and continue to be responsibly stewarded in accordance with their documented provenance."
Not everyone in archaeology opposes the look. TikTok archaeologist Annelise Baer described the pieces as "incredible." But fellow creator Dr. Z pushed back sharply. Archaeologist Lauren Lien replied: "As an archaeologist, I am completely against this 'trend' of wearing real artifacts (that were almost certainly looted) as jewelry."
Roach, meanwhile, was already under scrutiny for a separate stunt. He admitted in an Instagram video that he sourced a Schiaparelli couture gown straight off the runway in Paris and told interviewer Elias Medini: "I have a private jet waiting for me." The fashion feat received considerable backlash online.
The controversy arises during an active military conflict between the United States and Iran that has resulted in damage to heritage sites. It also echoes the backlash Margot Robbie faced earlier this year for wearing the historic Taj Mahal diamond necklace at the Wuthering Heights premiere.
The Odyssey opens in U.S. and U.K. theaters July 17, and whether the earring debate follows it into opening weekend may depend on whether Zendaya or her team addresses the criticism directly. So far, neither has.
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