Bertillon system

The Bertillon system, developed by Alphonse Bertillon in the late 19th century, was an early method of personal identification used by law enforcement. It involved taking detailed measurements of a person's body parts—such as head size, arm length, and finger lengths—and recording them on an individual card. This "anthropometry" aimed to distinguish individuals based on their unique physical characteristics. While innovative at the time, it was eventually replaced by fingerprinting and other forensic techniques due to limitations in accuracy and practicality.