"Why Did Zendaya Wear a 3,000-Year-Old Iranian Artifact?" Controversy Over 'Odyssey' Film Promotion Fashion

Gold Plate Presumed from 'Juiye Treasure' Used in Earrings
Archaeological Community: "World Cultural Heritage Reduced to Accessories"
Gallery Responds: "An Effort to Highlight Ancient Persian Art"

Hollywood actress Zendaya has sparked controversy after it was revealed that she wore earrings made from an ancient Iranian artifact dating back approximately 2,700 years at a movie promotion event. While some praised the accessory as the final touch to her striking "Athena fashion," archaeologists and art historians criticized the use of a looted and potentially illegally exported artifact as a promotional accessory for a Hollywood film.

Hollywood actress Zendaya has sparked controversy after it was revealed that she wore earrings made from an Iranian artifact dating back approximately 2700 years at a movie promotion event. Photo by AP Yonhap News

On July 21, international outlets such as the British newspaper The Guardian reported that Zendaya attended a photocall for director Christopher Nolan's film "Odyssey" in London, England, on July 5, wearing a white dress and oversized gold earrings. As Zendaya plays Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, in the film, her attire evoked the image of an ancient Greek goddess.

The primary controversy arose from the large circular gold plate at the center of the earring. This gold plate is believed to have been made in Iran around 700 BCE, with London jeweler Glenn Spiro later embellishing it with diamonds and 18-karat gold to create a modern earring. Baron London, a gallery in London's Mayfair and the current owner of the earrings, announced that the gold plate is presumed to belong to the "Ziwyeh treasure," which was discovered in northwestern Iran. The gallery reportedly purchased the piece from Glenn Spiro in 2025.

The 'Ziwyeh Treasure,' Disassembled and Dispersed Shortly After Its 1947 Discovery

The Ziwyeh treasure refers to gold, silver, bronze, ivory, and terracotta artifacts discovered near Saqqez in Kurdistan Province, Iran, in 1947. These artifacts showcase a blend of styles from various cultures such as Median, Assyrian, and Scythian societies, illustrating the multicultural interactions of ancient Iranian civilization. However, much of the treasure was removed from the site before a formal archaeological excavation could be conducted. Some items were cut or melted down, and the remainder was dispersed across the global antique market, ending up in museums and private collections worldwide. As a result, it has become difficult to determine whether these artifacts all originated from a single site or what their original purposes were.

Juweiye Treasure refers to gold, silver, bronze, ivory, and terracotta artifacts discovered near Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, Iran, in 1947. Wikipedia

Regarding the gold plate used in the earring, Baron London only explained that it is presumed to be part of the Ziwyeh treasure. However, the precise route by which it left Iran and entered the European art market after its 1947 discovery has not been specifically disclosed. Experts point out that the key issue is not just the age of the artifact, but the fact that a cultural relic was made into jewelry without confirmation of its full provenance history—including its excavation site, chain of ownership, export permits, and all intermediaries involved.

Susan Babaie, an art historian of Iranian origin and professor at the Courtauld Institute of Art, criticized the use of ancient artifacts as adornments to emphasize a celebrity's beauty and status. She argued that the gold plate may have possessed significant religious or spiritual value and warned that stripping such an item of its historical context and presenting it as mere jewelry deprives it of its original meaning.

Archaeologist Annalise Baer also remarked, "The main issue lies not with Zendaya's individual use but with the fact that the earrings themselves are likely made from a looted ancient artifact." She noted that Zendaya's public appearance at a major film event has brought the provenance issues from within the art market into the public spotlight. Zendaya and her stylist have not released an official statement in response to media inquiries regarding the matter.

Gallery: "Set Without Damaging the Artifact"

Baron London stated that the earrings are managed according to verified provenance documentation and relevant legal regulations, and that there is no issue with their handling. The gallery emphasized that no holes were drilled nor was the shape altered, and that a noninvasive claw-style setting was used to hold the gold plate, thus avoiding any physical damage to the artifact. The gallery also claimed the earrings were loaned to Zendaya not for sale or commercial promotion, but to raise public awareness of ancient Persian goldsmithing technology and Iranian cultural and artistic heritage.

The gold plate used in these earrings was also explained by Baron London to be presumed as a treasure belonging to the Ziwyeh treasure, but the exact route through which it left Iran and entered the European art market after its discovery in 1947 has not been specifically disclosed. Baron London website

However, archaeologists argue that simply avoiding physical damage does not resolve the ethical concerns. They contend that even if a private collection is traded legally, if the initial excavation and export process is unclear, consultation with or potential return to the country of origin should always be considered. The gallery repeated that no holes were drilled and that a claw-style, noninvasive setting was used to prevent any alteration or damage to the artifact.

The gallery further repeated that the purpose of lending the earrings to Zendaya was not for sale or commercial promotion, but rather to educate the public about ancient Persian goldworking and Iranian cultural and artistic heritage. Nevertheless, experts contend that a lack of physical damage alone does not resolve the ethical issue. They maintain that even legally traded private collections must be scrutinized, and if the artifact's original excavation or export is unclear, dialogue with or possible restitution to the country of origin should be considered.

The Problem of Looted Artifacts Cannot Be Solved by 'Legal Purchase' Alone

Previously, UNESCO's 1970 Convention established that illegal import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural property is a major cause of impoverishing the cultural heritage of source countries. The convention requires art dealers and collectors to document an artifact's provenance and to notify buyers of any illegal export. However, the Ziwyeh treasure was discovered about 20 years before the convention was signed. Since it is difficult for international treaties to be retroactively enforced on past transactions, it cannot be conclusively determined that the earrings violate current law.

The UNIDROIT Convention, adopted in 1995, also generally applies to cultural objects that were stolen or unlawfully exported after the convention came into effect. However, it clearly states that the convention does not legitimize prior illegal transactions, nor does it restrict restitution claims based on other laws or diplomatic processes. Cultural heritage experts thus emphasize that legal title and ethical legitimacy are separate issues. The simple fact of having purchased an artifact many years ago from the art market does not absolve responsibility for its original looting or unlawful export.

The 1995 UNIDROIT Convention also basically applies to cultural objects that were stolen or illegally exported after the convention came into effect. UNESCO

In similar cases, some of the world's leading museums have repatriated artifacts to their countries of origin after facing related controversies. New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, for example, returned the ancient Greek vase "Euphronios Krater"—purchased in 1972 for around USD 1 million—to Italy in 2008. The museum claimed to have acquired the artifact in good faith, but after the Italian government presented evidence of looting and unlawful export, the two parties reached a restitution agreement.

The Getty Museum in the United States also decided to return 26 ancient artifacts for which the Italian government claimed ownership. The museum's own internal provenance research added further items to the list for repatriation. Additionally, British singer Boy George relinquished ownership and returned a Byzantine icon to the Cypriot church in 2011 after discovering the painting he had kept for 26 years, purchased from a London art dealer in the 1980s, was stolen from that church. This case illustrates that even privately purchased items acquired legally can and should be returned if provenance issues arise.

The ongoing controversy sparked by Zendaya's earrings raises debate over whether publicizing cultural heritage through the bodies of celebrities is a new way to spotlight ancient cultures—or whether it merely serves to consume the bright facade while erasing the artifact's deeper history and trauma. Additionally, there are growing calls for full disclosure of the post-1947 transaction history, the process by which these earrings left Iran, and whether export permits were secured.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.