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Urban sprawl in Byzantine times. Late Nabatean Sobata (Shivta), another caravansary that became a town, more than doubled its size to about 25 acres in the Byzantine period. The Late Nabatean section, with short streets running in straight lines between blacks of buildings, occupies the lower right portion of the town. The only Nabatean public structure is a large double reservoir, the trapezoidal remains of which appear near the center of the town The three parallel aisles of a Christian cathedral, built over what was probably a Nabatean market place, can be seen just above the reservoir.