In a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Dr. Ellery Frahm and his colleagues analyzed two unusual blue-green glazed ceramic sherds discovered in the Gobi Desert in 2016.

Their analysis reveals that the two sherds, originating in small seasonal herding camps, were high-value goods traded from the Persian empire, likely during the Early Islamic period, providing important insight into the far-flung connections and trade networks these nomadic communities were a part of.