Controversy is growing after it was revealed that the earrings worn in public by Zendaya, the lead actor in director Christopher Nolan's new film "Odyssey," are ancient Iranian artifacts.
According to the Guardian on the 21st (local time), the earrings Zendaya wore are estimated to have been made around 700 B.C. They are believed to have been part of the "Ziwiye treasure," unearthed in northwestern Iran in 1947.
The Ziwiye artifacts are gold, silver, bronze, and terracotta objects discovered in Iran in 1947. After their discovery, many were looted or circulated on overseas antiques markets in the 1960s, and they are now said to be scattered among various museums and private collectors.
The earrings at the center of the controversy were reportedly purchased by the U.K. gallery "Baron London" last year from Glenn Spiro, another jeweler based in London.
Art historian Sussan Babaie, who is from Iran and saw Zendaya's earrings, vented her anger, saying, "This artifact was not made to be displayed as an accessory but is part of humanity's heritage and a world heritage," adding, "Now all meaning has been stripped from those earrings. It has hijacked, flattened, and distorted (ancient Iran's) cultural contribution to humanity."
Babaie went on to say it was infuriating that "at the very moment billions of dollars from the United States are used to bomb Iran, destroying sites of cultural and historical interest, an ancient Iranian artifact is being glamorized at a promotional event for Odyssey."
Baron London said in a statement that "the intent behind lending the earrings is by no means commercial," explaining, "At a time when Iran is often portrayed only through the lens of modern politics, we hope these earrings prompt audiences to recall Iran's deep cultural and artistic heritage."