Zendaya faced swift backlash after wearing earrings fashioned from ancient Iranian artefacts at a London photocall for Christopher Nolan's film The Odyssey. The earrings, dating back to 700BC, are part of the Ziwiye hoard discovered in northwestern Iran in 1947.
Archaeologists criticize use of looted artefacts
Prof Sussan Babaie, an Iranian-born art historian at the Courtauld Institute, expressed outrage, stating it was 'shocking to see that no one thought maybe this is not a good idea.' She accused the film's promotion of 'hijacking, flattening and transforming ancient Iran's cultural contributions to humanity.'
Dr Annelise Baer, an archaeologist, noted the earrings are made from looted antiquities, adding that Zendaya wearing them 'has suddenly put all of that into the public eye in a way that we haven't really seen before.'
Earrings' provenance and controversy
The earrings belong to Barron London, a Mayfair gallery, which stated they were bought from jeweller Glenn Spiro in 2025 and 'are responsibly stewarded in accordance with documented provenance and all legal requirements.' The Ziwiye hoard was looted by shepherds in 1947, with surviving pieces sold in antique markets in the 1960s and now scattered globally.
Babaie argued the artefacts likely had spiritual connotations and should not be displayed as accessories, calling them 'world heritage, not just accessories.'
Broader context and additional criticism
The controversy comes amid scrutiny of Western institutions holding ancient artefacts, such as the British Museum's Benin bronzes. The film has also faced calls for boycott over its use of Dakhla in occupied Western Sahara as a filming location.
