Online reactions to Zendaya’s recent jewelry selection at The Odyssey photocall in London have been highly critical.
The 29-year-old showbiz celebrity sported earrings crafted from prehistoric gold discs believed to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old. London jeweler Glenn Spiro used gold and diamonds to incorporate the ancient artifacts into a contemporary design.
While many admired Zendaya’s striking appearance, others questioned whether genuine antiquities should be fashioned into high-end luxury jewelry. Concerns regarding the origin of the gold pieces were also voiced by archaeology content creator Dr. Z.
“We know nothing else about their provenance, meaning their journey from their homeland, which is probably Iran,” Dr. Z remarked in a video online. She continued, “They were acquired by [Spiro’s] son by means undisclosed”.
Dr. Z strongly objected to the practice of utilizing authentic artifacts rather than replicas. “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 stated. She further argued that exploiting genuine historical objects turns cultural heritage into “a commodity stolen for the elite”. The creator went on to characterize the practice as “fetishizing the past” and a form of “class signaling”.
The earrings are currently part of the private collection of Mayfair-based dealer Barron London. Ultimately, the controversy has sparked a much larger global debate about the ethical ownership of antiquities, shifting the focus away from Zendaya’s red-carpet style.