Near Must Farm in the UK, there is a nearly perfectly preserved (destroyed) village from 3,000 years ago. It was destroyed during some kind of disagreement with an enemy tribe. Real shame. But the whims of fate and oxygen depleted water preserved the burnt remains of this dispute forever.
Among the many wooden, ceramic, and metal artifacts are a bunch of bowls of half eaten porridge.
When the village came under attack, 3,000 years ago, who was eating that porridge? Did they hear the horn of alarm or perhaps the screaming as the surprise attack was flawlessly executed? Did he drop (or maybe just gently put down) his bowl of porridge to pick up an axe and defend his family?
What was the bowl of porridge's opinion of all of this? Was it upset that its purpose in life was interrupted? Perhaps a little annoyed? Or did it understand the severity of the situation and accept that defending the village took precedent over enjoying a succulent meal of porridge? How was the porridge spiced?
Or did the porridge feel the same fear of oncoming death that the man felt? Did the porridge know, in the back of its porridge mind, that the village was doomed? Or did it hope that somehow, some way, the man would return to finish it, now cold but still tasty? Perhaps there was a bit of cruel irony, which the porridge felt, as the bowl was heated not by the warm embrace of the familiar hearth but by the raging fire of the house itself burning to the ground.
How long did the porridge pers