The object is a small light brown desert rose, which is a naturally formed gypsum crystal rosette. Desert roses are made of gypsum as a result of a long-term process and can be found below the surface of coastal or inland sabkhas. The extremely high evaporation rates in sabkhas cause the groundwater to reach salinity levels higher than that of seawater, allowing gypsum, a calcium sulfate mineral, to precipitate and form desert roses. The color of desert roses depends on the sediment incorporated into the crystal structure. Desert roses are a common feature of Qatar's coastal and inland sabkhas, such as Khor Al-Adaid. The specimen was found in the sabkha at Umm Bab, which was formed during the Holocene period.