I’m going to be selfish. I’m confident that my lineage, as a true American mutt, would be disrupted by any significant changes to economic or military history. Doing anything to advance technology would probably lead to my non-existence. However, as we’re dealing with the fiction of a time machine already and the rules don’t limit the item sent back to things that actually exist, I think I’d send back another time machine that would be fully assembled to send forward 980 years, to my then residence, full instructions on how to understand and construct yet further time machines.
I also like the “box of Twinkies” idea, if only because it cleverly skirts the rule against living or formerly living items by including the miracle of inorganic foodstuffs.
Twinkies are also allowed because this thread isn’t about carrying everything to ridiculous extremes just so you can shit in the sandbox, so to speak. Or in other words, “no living creatures or formerly living creatures” means no animals, live or dead, and no vials of micronasties that could infect or inoculate", NOT “OMG! That means we can’t send anything made of wood or fiber, or anything that might have been touched by a germ!”
Also, I shouldn’t have to say that you are limited to things that will fit in the box and actually exist, but for your benefit, consider it said.
Well, in the spirit of the question–rather than having fun with it in my own little literal world–I think I’d want to send back something that advances art rather than technology. I’m assuming here that prohibiting pictures is to prohibit instructions on how to use the thing sent back, but not pictures in their own right.
So I think I’d look at the kinds of art materials used back then, identify a target, probably either a wealthy art aficionado or an artistic monastery, then identify a landmark nearby that wouldn’t have changed much over the years–a mountain, a seascape–and send back a set of interpretations of that scene in different styles but using period materials. An impressionistic painting, a pointallist, one where things melt, a four-season set a la van Gogh, a cubist, a Mondrian- or Klee-style abstract, and perhaps one from the local elementary school to round things out, all of the same scene. I think those would all fit into 8 cubic feet.
They’d likely be considered worthless, but perhaps an artist would see them and start playing with their ideas. And, who knows, perhaps that freedom of expression would lead to other explorations of thought and there’d be a technological revolution anyhow.
How about an American football uniform with no numbers and no team names, but with the helmet, cleats, pads and helmet with a face mask? Our ancestors might see a famous war with sides dressed like Broncos & Seahawks.
Also, how about many small but modern everyday things? A toothbrush with toothpaste wrapped in a rubber band, small bottle of Scope with the label torn off, deodorant, any plastic cup, any glass measuring cup with just lines without measurements, sweat socks (so theres no silly dependency on stockings all the time) and a cheap store rain poncho? Oh. Add the battery powered dildo too.
I was thinking something medical, like medicine to cure but without writing on it, it’s doubtful they would even know what it is or what to do with it.
I’d go with what was suggested which was the printing press. But without written instructions not sure they would know what to do with that either.
Is there a loophole for sending a small movable type printing press with blank blocks and a bottle of ink to Europe? It would not have any writing or pictures on it. It can’t even print out writing (from OP) until the blocks are shaped by the user. The biggest disadvantage is that it might not be recognized for what it is. It might be seen as just a toy or puzzle.
How about something not too difficult for them to figure out how to use and immediately useful? It’d require some illustrated instructions but maybe a couple of oil lanterns, a can or two of oil, and some spare wicks? I don’t think it’s so advanced to get someone burned at the stake for witchcraft.
A couple of my posts, I suggested scale models. (Even said printing press ) Of course, we would need to send it back specifically to some truly gifted person/people.
) Of course, we would need to send it back specifically to some truly gifted person/people.