Zendaya has come under online criticism after wearing earrings incorporating ancient artefacts to the London premiere of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, prompting debate among archaeologists over the use of historical objects in modern jewellery.
The actress wore earrings featuring ancient gold discs believed to date back between 2,000 and 3,000 years.
The pieces were reset into a contemporary design using 18-carat yellow gold and diamonds by London jeweller Glenn Spiro as part of his Materials of the Old World collection. The earrings are now part of Barron London’s private collection.
While many praised Zendaya’s red-carpet appearance, the jewellery drew criticism on social media.
However, archaeology content creator Dr. Z raised concerns about the provenance of the artefacts and the wider practice of incorporating ancient objects into luxury jewellery.
“We know nothing else about their provenance, meaning their journey from their homeland, which is probably Iran,” Dr. Z said in a TikTok video, adding, “They were acquired by his son by means undisclosed.”
She also criticised comments previously attributed to Glenn Spiro about his collection, saying, “Glenn literally says in interviews that these pieces are a dialogue with glorious treasure hunting and the exoticism of far lands and the past. That ship don’t launch for me, dog.”
Dr. Z further argued, “These artifacts are likely looted from Iran, and they are gracing the ears of an American actress from a country that just bombed Iran.”
She questioned why replicas were not used instead of genuine historical objects, stating that using authentic artefacts risks turning cultural heritage into “a commodity stolen for the elite” and describing the practice as “class signaling” and “fetishizing the past.”
The debate has shifted attention from Zendaya’s red-carpet fashion to broader questions about the ethical use and ownership of ancient cultural artefacts in contemporary jewellery.