Zendaya's 3,000-year-old gold earrings stole the spotlight at The Odyssey event but not everyone's impressed
ETimes | July 16, 2026 1:40 PM CST
Zendaya is no stranger to making headlines with her fashion choices. But this time, it wasn't her dress that got people talking. It was a pair of earrings with a history stretching back nearly 3,000 years.
The actor stepped out for a The Odyssey promotional event in London wearing a custom white Jacquemus gown. The look was clean, elegant and unmistakably Zendaya. But the real conversation began once fashion enthusiasts realised the jewellery she was wearing wasn't inspired by history, it was history.
The earrings date back to the first millennium BCE
Zendaya's statement earrings featured authentic ancient Iranian gold plaques that date back to the first millennium BCE. The rare pieces came from Zivia, sourced through London-based antique jewellery dealer Barron London.
Rather than leaving the artefacts untouched, the ancient gold discs were carefully reset into contemporary earrings using 18-carat yellow gold and diamonds. The result was a piece that blended archaeological history with modern jewellery design.
Each gold disc carries a radiating sun motif, a symbol that appeared across several ancient civilisations in the Near East. Historians associate the design with Shamash, the Mesopotamian sun god who represented justice, protection and divine authority.
A discovery that goes back almost 80 years
The story behind the jewellery is just as fascinating as the pieces themselves.
The Zivia treasure was discovered in 1947 in a village near Saqqez, in Iran's Kurdistan region. According to historical accounts, locals came across a bronze coffin filled with gold artefacts.
But the discovery wasn't handled under archaeological supervision.
Many of the objects were reportedly broken apart and sold individually before experts had the chance to properly document the site. Over time, surviving pieces found their way into museums, auction houses and private collections across the world.
Today, artefacts linked to the Zivia treasure can be found in institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre, the British Museum and the National Museum of Iran.
The internet couldn't agree
As soon as photos of Zendaya's look surfaced online, people began discussing the earrings.
Many admired the craftsmanship and loved the idea of wearing jewellery with such extraordinary history. Fashion pages praised the styling, calling it one of her most memorable red carpet appearances.
Others, however, questioned the ethics of wearing ancient cultural artefacts as fashion accessories.
Journalist Shabnam Nasimi shared a video explaining the historical significance of the Zivia gold, highlighting its links to the ancient Iranian plateau and the broader history of the Near East.
The conversation didn't stop there.
London-based author and historian Zirrar Ali also weighed in, arguing that when celebrities wear historical objects from the Global South, it can raise larger questions about ownership, heritage and cultural ethics.
According to Ali, displaying such artefacts may appear harmless, but it can also be seen as reinforcing unequal histories in which one culture ends up possessing and showcasing another's heritage.
Fashion, history and a bigger conversation
Zendaya has built a reputation for using fashion to tell stories, and this appearance was no exception.
But unlike many of her previous red carpet moments, this one sparked a conversation that went beyond silhouettes and styling. It also raised questions about where historic objects belong, who gets to wear them and whether pieces with such cultural significance should be treated as fashion in the first place.
Zendaya will next be seen as Athena in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on July 17.
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