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> In Japan instead of signatures they use personal stamps. Stamps used for your government business or banking get registered, and they can match stamps from the slight imperfections. If your stamp is stolen you register it as such so they know not to accept it.

Isn't that the same system that was used in Europe with signet rings until the 17th century? I wonder why signatures replaced signet rings?

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>I wonder why signatures replaced signet rings?

As the need for legal documentation spread downward from the upper classes, they needed an identification method that anyone could use, and wasn't limited to people who could afford to have a unique piece of jewelry crafted.

signet rings were introduced for two reasons: 1) make sure any tampering with the content is visible 2) people were mostly illiterates at the time so it made sense for them to have something else than signing with XXX My guess is that as illiteracy in Europe decreased the need for signet rings also decreased

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