JAPAN

Legal papers were marked in ink using the top of

the thumb and nail while nail stamping cannot be
considered a method of friction ridge
identification. A Japanese Historian, Kamagusu
Minakata further commented about blood
stamping. Apparently, contracts were
accompanied by a written oath confirmed with a
blood stamp. The blood stamp was a print of the
ring finger in blood drawn from that digit.
BLOOD STAMP
 Another Japanese ,Choryo Katsurakwawa(1754)
According to the Domestic law (enacted in 702 A.D), to
divorce a wife, the husband must give her a
document stating which of the seven reasons was
assigned for action. All letters must be in the husband's
handwriting, but in case he does not understand how to
write, he should sign with a fingerprint." The main
points of the Japanese domestic Laws were borrowed
and transplanted from the Chinese Laws of Yung Hui
(650-655 A.D. This fact illustrates how Chin customs,
laws and practices spread to other countries.
 FRANCE
 The most famous ancient stone carvings is found in the
L'Ile de Gavrinis of the coast of France. Here a burial
chamber, or dolman, was discovered dating back to
Neolithis times. The Dolman, constructed of slabs of
stones, is a gallery leading into an enlarged chamber,
the structure being imbedded into a low mound of earth.
Its inner walls are covered with incised designs systems
of horse-shoe form, more or less circular concentric
figures. spiral, arching lines sinuous and straight lines
and other markings occurring in various combinations.
Many anthropologists interpret these lines as
representing finger or palmprint patterns.
SPIRAL HORSE SHOE
NOVA SCOTIA
 An outline of a hand was scratched into slate
rock beside Kejiomkujil lake by an aboriginal
Indian. The carving is an outline of a hand and
fingers. Within the outline the flexion creases
of the palm and fingers are depicted. This
carving has considerable historical significance.
Although it does not demonstrate knowledge of
the individuality of friction ridges or palmar
flexion creases, it clearly Illustrates an early
awareness of the presence of those formations.
 BABYLONIA
 References by ancient historians have been found dealing how
finger seals were used on legal contracts from 1855-1913 B.C.
 The finger impressions of the parties involved in a contract of
agreement were apparently pressed into the clay surface along
with the script,
 This practice identified the author and protected against
forgery.
 References dating from the rule of Hammurabi (7792- 1750
B.C) indicate that law officers were authorized to secure the
fingerprints of arrested persons. Also, fingerprints were found
on the 300-year old clay slabs in King Tue-En Khamin's tomb in
Egypt. Fingerprints were pressed into the walls of the tomb
creating intricate designs.
PALESTINE
 William Frederick Bade, Director of the Palestine
Institute of Archeology, conducted excavations at
various sites in Palestine and at one place found finger
imprints on many pieces of broken pottery. These
"identifications" permitted the confused debris to
dated accurately to the forth century A.D.
Commenting on this case, Fingerprint magazine (1973)
stated that "these impressions were obviously
intentional and no doubt, represented the worker's
individual trade mark."
HOLLAND AND ANCIENT CHINA
Identification of individuals was by means of
branding, tattooing, mutilation and also
manifested by wearing of clothes of different
designs.
In earlier civilization, branding and even
maiming were used to mark the criminal for
what he was. The thief was deprive of the hand
which committed the thievery, The Romans
employ the tattoo needle to identify and
prevent desertion of mercenary soldiers
CONSTANTINOPLE
 In treaty ratification, the Sultan soaked his
hand in a sheep's Brood and impressed it on the
document as his seal.
 INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCE This institute
was the first private school to install
laboratories for instruction purposes in
Dactyloscopy.
EARLY KNOWLEDGE OF FRICTION RIDGE
INDIVIDUALITY.
 Early pioneers of this friction ridge
identification science were government workers,
police officers, or people who dabbled in friction
ridge identification while employed in related
scientific fields. They advanced our knowledge
of friction ridges, applied the friction ridge
identification system to various uses, and
devised a coherent classification system.
Thomas Bewick (1753-1828)
 A British author, naturalist and engraver
became England's finest engraver who made
fingerprint stamps. He made wooden engravings
of fingerprints and published their images in his
books where he used an engraving of his
fingerprints as a signature. The engraving
demonstrate familiarity with the construction of
skin ridge. In two of the books he added
"Thomas Bewick, his mark" under the
impressions