<P> Although ancient peoples probably did not realize that fingerprints could uniquely identify individuals , references from the age of the Babylonian king Hammurabi ( reigned 1792 - 1750 BCE ) indicate that law officials would take the fingerprints of people who had been arrested . During China 's Qin Dynasty , records have shown that officials took hand prints , foot prints as well as finger prints as evidence from a crime scene . In China , around 300 CE , handprints were used as evidence in a trial for theft . By 650 , the Chinese historian Kia Kung - Yen remarked that fingerprints could be used as a means of authentication . In his Jami al - Tawarikh ( Universal History ) , the Persian physician Rashid - al - Din Hamadani ( also known as `` Rashideddin '' , 1247 -- 1318 ) refers to the Chinese practice of identifying people via their fingerprints , commenting : `` Experience shows that no two individuals have fingers exactly alike . '' In Persia at this time , government documents may have been authenticated with thumbprints . </P>
<P> Although ancient peoples probably did not realize that fingerprints could uniquely identify individuals , references from the age of the Babylonian king Hammurabi ( reigned 1792 - 1750 BCE ) indicate that law officials would take the fingerprints of people who had been arrested . During China 's Qin Dynasty , records have shown that officials took hand prints , foot prints as well as finger prints as evidence from a crime scene . In China , around 300 CE , handprints were used as evidence in a trial for theft . By 650 , the Chinese historian Kia Kung - Yen remarked that fingerprints could be used as a means of authentication . In his Jami al - Tawarikh ( Universal History ) , the Persian physician Rashid - al - Din Hamadani ( also known as `` Rashideddin '' , 1247 -- 1318 ) refers to the Chinese practice of identifying people via their fingerprints , commenting : `` Experience shows that no two individuals have fingers exactly alike . '' In Persia at this time , government documents may have been authenticated with thumbprints . </P>
when was it discovered that fingerprints were unique
when was it discovered that fingerprints were unique
By 650
By 650