Most
people today, are well aware of the popular use of fingerprints for
personal identification, especially in solving criminal cases. Some of
them are conscious of
Live Scan, Los Angeles; better
known as modern d ay electronic capturing of fingerprints. Fingers
dipped in ink and impressions on cards are now things of the past. In
fact, in ancient times, fingerprints were even captured on clay.
Surprising, but true!
So, here’s more about the journey traversed by fingerprinting from the ancient times till the modern electronic method.
This image depicts the conventional, ancient method of fingerprinting.
History of Fingerprints
The
first evidence of the use of fingerprints is unclear. However,
instances of the ancient Babylonians capturing fingerprints on clay to
record business transactions are evident. In fact, the Chinese used ink
fingerprints on paper for proof of business transactions and
identification of their children. There’s evidence of the use of
fingerprints on pyramids in Egypt. They date back to 2000 BC.
The 3rd
century BC witnessed the use of fingerprints as evidence on official
documents by the Chinese, which were even used in the court of law
during litigation proceedings.
However,
William J. Hershel, the first person to introduce the practical
utilization of fingerprints for identification expressed doubt. He said
that the Chinese were using the fingerprints for spiritual practices and
not personal identification purposes. He also stated that the captured
prints were not fingerprints, but finger marks. Moreover, proof of these
prints being used for personal identification was absent.
Categorically, fingerprints were not used for personal identification until the 19th
century. The first instance of fingerprints being used to solve a
criminal case dates back to 1858. The English administrator William J.
Hershel was assigned to the jurisdiction of Hoogly, a place near
Kolkata, India. He raised concerns about the residents of Hoogly
receiving pensions and about verification of business dealings with the
Government in the court of law. In regard with this, he asked a
construction builder, Rajyadhar Konai to attest a document by putting a
print of his palm and fingers on it. This was the first documented case
of recording fingerprints. As Hershel also dealt with the jurisdiction
of jail, he designed a method to capture the fingerprints of all the
inmates in jail and maintain a record for further reference.
The
Scottish doctor, Henry Faulds also did commendable work on
fingerprinting. During his work career at a hospital in Tokyo, Japan in
1874, he kept records of fingerprints and concluded that the chances of
fingerprints of two individuals being the same were almost negligible.
He also concluded that fingerprints were not changeable even over a
course of time. He could also lift a person’s fingerprints from a bottle
of whiskey. He is therefore, applauded widely for the first practical
use of fingerprints.
Well,
the first use of fingerprints in solving criminal cases date back to
1892. Thanks to the efficacy and uniqueness of fingerprints, both the
Scotland Yard and the USA approved the use of fingerprinting for
personal identification by the onset of the 20th century.
From then, fingerprints have become the gold standard for personal
identification in solving criminal cases. Then, dipping fingers in ink
and recording impressions on a smooth card was seen as the best method
for recording fingerprints.
Since
then, fingerprints are popularly used. In fact, in the current times,
they are also used for background check of prospective employees by many
employers.
What’s more, the method of capturing fingerprints has also become electronic, which is done through live scan.
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