Hollywood Star Sparks Backlash With Press Tour Accessory

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Zendaya is facing criticism after wearing earrings fashioned from ancient Iranian artifacts while promoting Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in London.

The gold pieces https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event">date to around 700 BC and are believed to be linked to the Ziwiye hoard, a cache of antiquities discovered in northwestern Iran in the 1940s that was later looted and dispersed into museums and private collections.

Archaeologists and art historians https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event">condemned the decision to use the artifacts as red-carpet jewelry, https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event">arguing that culturally significant objects with possible spiritual importance should not be treated as fashion accessories.

One expert https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event">described the move as “hijacking” Iran’s cultural heritage, while another https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event">said the earrings had been stripped of their historical meaning.

The jewelry https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event">belongs to London dealer Barron London, which https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/21/zendaya-faces-backlash-for-wearing-ancient-iranian-jewellery-at-odyssey-event">said the pieces were legally acquired and loaned to celebrate the artistry of ancient Persian goldsmiths and not for commercial purposes.

The controversy comes as Western institutions continue to face scrutiny over their possession and display of disputed cultural artifacts.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/zendaya-sparks-backlash-with-2700-year-old-jewelry/">Read more at The Daily Beast.