How did people in the 1700's show identification??
2007-09-20 12:13:23 · 3 answers · asked by MrZ. NiiCk JoNaS!i!i! 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
You sort of just took people at their word back in the day.
2007-09-20 12:20:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There were passports. No photos of course, but these documents contained a detailed description of the bearer- detailing for example characteristic scars, etc.
The French police used a system of precise measures of the skull, nose, ears, etc, also some bones, eg the forearm. If everything matches - from eye colour to bone measurements - then there is a positive identification
2007-09-20 12:26:44 · answer #2 · answered by cp_scipiom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the population was probably so few and far between that everyone knew everyone and no ID was needed. Also, people took other people on their "words" much more than they do now.
2007-09-20 12:21:18 · answer #3 · answered by 2good2Btrue 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋