Fingerprint Timeline

By Ariannaf04
  • 221 BCE

    China

    China
    Chinese records from the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) include details about using handprints as evidence during burglary investigations. Clay seals bearing friction ridge impressions were used during both the Qin and Han Dynasties
  • 1400

    Persia

    Persia
    The 14th century Persian book "Jaamehol-Tawarikh" attributed to Khajeh Rashiduddin Fazlollah Hamadani, includes comments about the practice of identifying persons from their fingerprints.

  • Grew

    Grew
    In the "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London" paper in 1684, Dr. Nehemiah Grew was the first European to publish friction ridge skin observations.

  • Bidloo

    Bidloo
    Dutch anatomist Govard Bidloo's 1685 book, "Anatomy of the Human Body" included descriptions of friction ridge skin (papillary ridge) details.

  • Malpighi

    Malpighi
    In 1686 Marcello Malpighi, an anatomy professor at the University of Bologna noted fingerprint ridges, spirals and loops in his treatise. A layer of skin was named after him, the "Malpighi" layer, which is approximately 1.8 mm thick.

  • Mayer

    Mayer
    German anatomist Johann Christoph Andreas Mayer author of a book containing drawings of friction ridge skin patterns. Mayer wrote, "Although the arrangement of skin ridges is never duplicated in two persons, nevertheless the similarities are closer among some individuals. In others the differences are marked, yet in spite of their peculiarities of arrangement all have a certain likeness". Mayer was the first to declare friction ridge skin is unique.

  • Purkinje

    Purkinje
    In 1823, Jan Evangelista Purkinje, anatomy professor at the University of Breslau in Wrocław, Poland, published his thesis discussing nine fingerprint patterns. Purkinje made no mention of the value of fingerprints for personal identification. Purkinje is referred to in most English language publications as John Evangelist Purkinje.

  • Welcker

    Welcker
    German anthropologist Hermann Welcker of the University of Halle, studied friction ridge skin permanence by printing his own right hand in 1856 and again in 1897, then published a study in 1898.

  • Herschel

    Herschel
    The English began using fingerprints in July 1858 when Sir William James Herschel, Chief Magistrate of the Hooghly District in Jungipoor, India, first used fingerprints on native contracts. On a whim, and without thought toward personal identification, Herschel had Rajyadhar Konai, a local businessman, impress his hand print on a contract. Jungipoor is now know as Jangipur in the state of West Bengal.

  • Taylor

    Taylor
    American microscopist Thomas Taylor proposed that finger and palm prints left on any object might be used to solve crimes. The July 1877 issue of The American Journal of Microscopy and Popular Science.