If you could give one ITEM to someone 3,000 years ago?

Hey Repub. Good question!

I would send simple diode or circuit with a switch and a light. They had all the materials they would have needed to recreate the technology. This would have lead us down all the roads that electricity brought us thousands instead of hundreds of years before our time. I can't see how things would be that drastically different in a bad way, just more advanced!

3000 years?

I'd give the Mayans the technology to long-count to December 21, 2012, but no further. Then I'd watch the sheeps run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

I double-posted...


[edit on 21-9-2009 by Cotechs]

There are so many things that pop into my mind when I saw this thread, and the main question is whether you are trying to send something that will help us now from the past, something that will just be confusing but seem hilarious to yourself, or fake knowledge of the future.

For a humorous thought; a huge rectangular thin monolith with writing on both sides saying the exact same thing “This tablet contains all of the knowledge of the universe, to gain this knowledge please read the other side of the tablet.” Also include tiny unrelated symbols from many different dialects and hieroglyphs that would mean absolutely nothing on both sides of the monolith/tablet would be the same thing.

For something that would give them a false view of the future, I would bring a DVD player, Video projector, a screen, a power generator, and the completed Star Wars epoch with subtitles in their language. I would have a screening of the movies, and when finished, indicate that this was a vision of the future of mankind, and take all equipment with me leaving them only with the memories of the movies and see what the aftermath of the screenings are if any.

The only helpful 2 devices I could think of is a Swiss Army knife with just the bare essentials, they could learn how one device can house small essential tools. The other would be a pair of chopsticks, if they don’t already have them, chopsticks can be made from sticks on the go, are easily carried, may require a slight learning curve, but are worth the effort to learn, especially when a fork is not available.

I'd give them a wind up watch or clock. Some would consider that evil.

Originally posted by scubagravy
Haha, got me thinkin on this 1 mate, an empty glass coke bottle comes to mind, just for a laugh. (gods must be crazy), its a movie....

i'll get back to you , S&F, puzzling thread

[edit on 21/9/2009 by scubagravy]

First thing that popped into my mind as well, hah!

But seriously some sort of history book, it would be the "Ultimate" prophecy book. In the right hands it could stop a multitude of major wars, as well as the holocaust, just to name a couple things.

But yea, how would they know how to read it. How would we know it didn't find it's way into corrupt hands?

This is a tough question.

reply to post by Nola213


If you gave them a history book, things would change just because of their knowledge of history. Therefore, as time went on, the book would be less and less prophetic.

I would go to King David of Israel and tell him of all the future conquerors who would destroy his kingdom, starting with the split of Israel and Judah, but mainly focusing on the Babylonian Exile 500 years after his time. Then I would give him a single paper explaining gunpowder and cannon dynamics, and see what he does with it. Talk about a change of history. There would be no Iraqis or Iranians and probably no Arabs of any kind, and the Jews would probably own the planet. Oh wait...!

reply to post by Republican08

Definitely a piano, nothing expands consciousness, creates a sense of unity, or communicates as effectively as music.

Originally posted by LightWonder
For some reason the first thing i thought of was a Dictionary.

I think it would help somewhat but not sure what i could give them from our age that they would even have the first clue to know what to do with it.

Nice concept.. now only if we had that time machine.

That's what I was thinking, except I would send them the most up to date medical dictionary, you know the ones that weigh ten tons they are so big?

Harm None
Peace

I've narrowed it down to three scenarios:

1. I'd give them an iphone and an angry message that read 'You better get your act together otherwise this will be the best thing you can come up with in 3000 (Redacted) years!'

2. I'd give them a large bubble bath with a naked man in it wearing a captains hat.

3. I'd leave them loads of pyramids with the answers to all the great questions of the universe encoded into mathematical puzzles within each of them and I'd absolutely positively NOT leave any Ciphers or Primers around.

I would learn some martial arts, a bunch of survival skills and some magic trickd. I would then send myself back in time, Use my magic tricks to make them think I am a god. Show them a couple of survival tips and Crown myself the Ultimate Ruler of this round planet that we live on that was not made in 7 days about 6000 years ago. I would have one rule. Love thy neighbor and thy planet as thyself. If you break that rule I use my martial arts to kick your ass. Problem diverted.

Reply to post by FallenFromTheTree

I was thinking "Solar Powered Calculator" as the 1 item.

We today underestimate how powerful that is. Although it would probably be considered "work of th devil" because it would appear to work like magic, and thud destroyed.

However, if given to the proper mind, they might begin to figure it out and understand how to use it to figure things out.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by Republican08

If there was one thing you'd give a sole person, that they might understand, with just the item, no instructions but would do the best they could with it!

Given the OP's conditions for selecting an item, I hope that the person receiving said item does not have intelligence on par with the reading ability of many people replying to this thread.

bubble gum.

Just kidding - a 9 volt battery

Eye glasses.

Easily reproducible with iron age mentality and knowledge of glassmaking.

My first thought was a map but since it was taken by post 5 I had to really think! Great question


Iron age and other significant events of 1000 BCE
en.wikipedia.org...

History of Glass
www.glassonline.com...


[edit on 21-9-2009 by notreallyalive]

Originally posted by blackhatchet
bubble gum.

Just kidding - a 9 volt battery

And the first person to lick it became the ancient founder of practical jokes!

The construction plans for a nuclear bomb.

Cuz that's how peace is maintained amongst Nations right?

[edit on 21-9-2009 by silver tongue devil]

I'd bring either a solar powered calculator or a swiss army knife. Those things can come in handy and it doesn't need to be explained.

If I was feeling funny though I might bring a supersoaker instead pretty easy to fill water, pump and shoot!

Originally posted by silver tongue devil
The construction plans for a nuclear bomb.

Cuz that's how peace is maintained amongst Nations right?

[edit on 21-9-2009 by silver tongue devil]

I figured that maybe they could get the mutual destruction bit out of the way first and write into the history books what a bad idea it was!