Expressions of the funerary rituality in the city of Onoba. From the realities previous to the normalization of the rite

Beyond sepulchral typologies, the field of rituality is where we can more clearly appreciate the internal struggle of the inhabitants of the city, who had to choose between keeping their previous set of beliefs, or adapting to the normalization of the rite imposed by the Roman conquest. Although most of the extension of the necropolis of this city is still unknown, current discoveries and studies suggest a much more complex funerary reality than expected, full of nuances that can only be understood if we do not forget that its history did not begin with the Roman conquest. This reality is the result of the construction of a unique cultural identity, born after the first contacts with the Roman Empire thanks to the configuration of a hybrid reality that included aspects of previous cultures, such as Phoenician and Punic/Turdetans, as well as Roman ones. Proof thereof is the fact that this new funerary construction had no problem showing its Roman nature on a visual level by adopting the most representative sepulchral typologies of the Roman Empire. Also in the topographical organization of the necropolises, which became a scenario of representation and game of power. Certain pervasive elements linked to the past were kept for rituals and beliefs, which were much more intimate and permissive. In conclusion, this article presents the way in which the society of the time shaped its cultural identity, as well as its progressive normalization over the years.