Zendaya's use of 3000-year-old Iranian jewelry; The ethical challenge over ancient heritage in Hollywood

The three-thousand-year-old Iranian earrings in the ears of Zendaya, a famous Hollywood star, in a ceremony in London, have sparked a new controversy about the trade of ancient objects, the ethical boundaries of using cultural heritage in modern jewelry, and the legal challenges of verifying the origin of these works.

According to Ambassador Arjan, Zendaya, the actress who plays the role of the goddess Athena, wore earrings with large, 3000-year-old Iranian gold pieces during a photo shoot in London to promote the summer blockbuster movie Odyssey. These pieces are attributed to the Ziviye treasure; A collection of ancient works that were discovered in 1947 in the northwest of Iran.

The presence of these ancient artifacts in Zendaya's earrings drew attention to the trade of ancient objects and provoked reactions from academics and experts. The focus of the discussions was the origin and ownership of antique works and the question of whether using such objects as ornaments, in this case, is morally acceptable or not.

These earrings, which are ancient pieces mounted in gold wire frames and decorated with diamonds, were borrowed from the "Baron London" gallery and art store in Mayfair, London. This collection was previously prepared by Glenn Spiro, a jeweler. Spiro's "Materials of the Ancient World" collection was formed with the aim of introducing the audience to the art and skills of ancient craftsmen; That too by respecting the originality and integrity of the raw materials.

"The goal is not to change the nature of the material, but to frame it in a way that brings its importance back into focus," says Joe Spiro, Glenn's son and co-director of the collection that developed the design.

It is said that these golden pieces have been installed again in the form of ornaments during the last 200 years. Spiro also says that he considers himself responsible for these works; A responsibility that, according to him, means "protecting the ancient work and being aware of its history and dealing sensitively with this background".

These very thin sheets are made of tin and gold alloy; so that if they were melted, the amount of pure gold obtained from them would hardly reach three carats, and their value would be less than 100 pounds. However, the presentation of these pieces in such a format and then the wide attention they received due to the fame of a famous figure, has made the earrings to focus on the ancient culture associated with them; However, this event has been accompanied by strong protests from archaeologists and art historians.

Many believe that changing the use of ancient works and turning them into jewelry is disrespectful to these works. However, according to Joe Spiro, it is thought that these gold pieces were originally mounted as necklace pendants.

Critics also raised the question of whether these pieces, along with other works belonging to the Zivieh treasure, were legally removed from Iran or not; However, many of these objects are now kept in museums around the world.

These gold discs have been verified and authenticated by experts at the David Aaron Gallery, which specializes in ancient Greek and Roman, Egyptian, Near Eastern and Islamic art.

A statement released by Glenn Spiro said: "It is important to clarify that not all works associated with Ziva were obtained as part of the same single discovery in 1947; This is a misconception. The term is used more broadly to refer to works associated with this area and its artistic tradition. Therefore, these discs are not presented as objects that have been documented as belonging to the 1947 discovery, but rather the available information about their background and accompanying expert confirmation.

Charlie Barron, the owner of Barron Gallery in London, has received positive feedback from customers of various cultural backgrounds, including Iranian customers living in America. "I've had messages from people saying how happy they are to see us keep their culture flying," he says.

Verifying the background and origin of works is one of the basic principles of working with ancient objects; A topic that was not much attention in the past. Ancient Egyptians used older works in making ornaments. From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, jewelers often used engraved gems from earlier periods in their works. In the 20th century, the Cartier jewelry company began making unique jewelry using Egyptian talisman beads in the shape of beetles.

However, the laws related to ascertaining the origin and background of the works have been interpreted and implemented gradually with more strictness; However, jewelers have not always been aware of the changes in this area and its new requirements.

Selling ancient objects, whether it's a Greek vase or ancient gold discs dangling from an earring, is generally considered unethical; Unless the background and documented origin of the work goes back to a time before the adoption of national laws related to cultural heritage in the country of origin. These laws are often decades old and in some cases date back to the 19th century.

In cases where the country of origin does not have a specific national law in this field, the UNESCO Convention on Combating the Illegal Import and Export of Cultural Property, approved in 1970, considers this year as the base date.

Recent legal cases have shown that the UK's national theft laws also take this wider context into account. Therefore, if an object, for example, was dug up in Egypt or Iran and left the country without valid export documents, and this action is considered theft according to the laws of those countries, it will also be considered theft in Britain. This issue becomes more complicated when the countries of origin have been involved in war. Since the adoption of the Law on Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) in 2017, selling cultural objects belonging to these countries, without providing valid and documented evidence that the works were removed from those areas before 2017, can be considered a criminal offense.

French rules are even stricter, according to Marc Auclair, a Paris-based jeweler and gallerist who uses Greek and Hellenistic engraved stones, gold coins and beads dating back to the second millennium BC to create contemporary jewelry. He says: "Now you have to prove that every object belonging to Egypt and the Middle East was legally exported at the time of leaving the country. Therefore, if a work left the country in the early 20th century, it will be almost impossible to prove that its export was legal.”

People have been collecting antiquities since the late Renaissance, when the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were unearthed. Many collections date back to the 18th century; For example, treasures acquired by the Marlborough, Medici, and Poniatowski families have passed through art dealers and auctions over the centuries.

Charlie Barron explains that many of today's rare antiquities come from American collections, "because Americans bought a lot of them from Europe between the 1870s and the 1950s." Baron buys the works he wants only from European and American auctions, private collectors and jewelers who can provide the legal chain of ownership and documented and authentic background of the works.

Co-founder of the Kapistree brand with his partner and jewelry designer Dr. Natalie Williams, Jacob Sedgwick collects artifacts such as engraved stones, seals, and Etruscan tablets to use in jewelry. He emphasizes the role of the private market in maintaining these works and preventing their value from decreasing.

"If the artefacts don't have monetary value, they're misplaced, damaged and, in the case of gold, still lost," says Sedgwick. "The biggest tragedy about ancient jewelry, of any kind, is that looters melt down 99 percent of them to sell their gold as bullion."

Gem historian and gemologist Joanna Hardy agrees. He says: "This gives new life to the works and makes their previous value and importance be understood more than before; Of course, on the condition that all the steps and criteria related to verifying the origin and background of the work have been properly followed. He adds: "It's wonderful to share these works, and it gives a special prestige and value to pieces that were made thousands of years ago. This will keep them alive."

In Spain, Beatrice Carranza and her Belgian business partner, Carl de Boll, of the Oktaaf ​​brand, follow a mission similar to that of Glenn Spiro, Eau Claire and the Capistri brand. Their works range from 3500-year-old Egyptian faience beads to Neolithic and Mesopotamia seals dating back to 5100 years BC. All these works are obtained from antique dealers and auctions and have a certificate of authenticity.

Meanwhile, in Amsterdam, Bibi van der Felde, who recently placed 3,000-year-old Egyptian Ushabti figurines—hundreds of which were found in tombs—into rock crystal pendants, consults Dutch Egyptologist Mike Zillebrech before buying works at auction.

Reflecting on the question of whether or not it is ethical to use ancient artifacts in contemporary jewelry design, Jacob Sedgwick believes that "ancient jewelry was originally made for adornment, and it bothers me when archaeologists declare that only they should have access to and be able to touch these artifacts."

"People collect works that are exceptional and unique in terms of artistic or personal value," he continues. "Providing a fresh look at jewelry made from ancient artifacts is a completely humane way to keep the past alive and protect cultural heritage objects."