The Odyssey premiere turned Zendaya's earrings into global headlines

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has no shortage of stars. Matt Damon, Tom Holland and Zendaya headline one of Hollywood's most anticipated films. Yet, as far as the fashion scene is concerned, it was a pair of gold earrings that stole the show at the film’s London premiere.

At first glance, Zendaya’s jewellery looked like another luxury piece. In reality, they carried nearly 3,000 years of history.

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The earrings were created from ancient gold medallions believed to date back to the 7th century BCE. They are linked to the Ziwiye Hoard, a collection of artefacts discovered in northwestern Iran in the late 1940s. By the time these pieces were made, many of the world's greatest empires had yet to exist.

London jeweller Glenn Spiro later transformed the medallions into modern earrings, surrounding the ancient artefact with 18-karat gold and diamonds. The design caught people's attention almost instantly. Many praised the decision, saying the jewellery perfectly suited a film based on one of the oldest surviving stories in human history. Others were not as enthusiastic.

Critics questioned whether artefacts with such deep historical value should be worn on a celebrity red carpet at all. Some argued that pieces believed to have originated in Iran belong in museums, or should eventually be returned to their country of origin instead of remaining in private collections.

The timing only added to the discussion. With Iran once again dominating international headlines because of ongoing conflict, the appearance of ancient Iranian artefacts at a major Hollywood event sparked even more debate.

There is no evidence that Zendaya intended to make a political statement, but the internet was quick to draw its own conclusions.

The Odyssey brings a story that's nearly 3,000 years old to the big screen. Zendaya arrived wearing jewellery from almost the same era. Before audiences had even watched the film, those tiny pieces of gold had already become one of its biggest talking points!