By the 17th century, European scientists began examining the structure of human skin. In 1687, Italian anatomist Marcello Malpighi studied the tiny ridges and spirals on fingers using one of the first microscopes. In a treatise “Concerning the External Tactile Organs,” Malpighi described the anatomical function of these friction ridges (noting they improve grip and traction) and sketched their patterns. A layer of skin in the epidermis was later named the “Malpighian layer” in his honor. However, neither Malpighi nor his contemporaries (like Nehemiah Grew in 1684 or Govard Bidloo in 1685) discussed the idea of fingerprint uniqueness or using them for identification. Their work was purely anatomical, laying a foundation but not yet recognizing fingerprints as a personal identifier.
Sources:
THE FINGERPRINT SOURCEBOOKHistory of Fingerprints
