Skull Anatomy
Skull Anatomy
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Image by Anatomy Standard, cropped from the original, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
The cranium (from the Greek word krania, meaning “skull”) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain. The cranium, or skull, is composed of 22 bones and is divided into two regions:
Neurocranium – protects the brain
Viscerocranium – forms the face
The skull helps hold muscles in place and has small openings that let nerves and blood vessels pass between the inside and outside of the head. It starts forming before birth from special early tissues and changes shape and becomes harder as a person grows up.
Even minor anatomical variations in skull structure can lead to significant differences in facial appearance.
Neurocranium
Neurocranium
The main job of the neurocranium (the part of the skull around the brain) is to give the head its shape and protect the brain and the senses, like sight and hearing.
Eight bones contribute to the formation of the neurocranium:
Two paired bones (temporal and parietal bones);
Four singular bones (frontal, occipital, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones).
Viscerocranium
Viscerocranium
The main job of the viscerocranium (the front part of the skull) is to make the bones of the face and jaw. It also supports the soft parts of the face, like the cheeks and lips.
Fourteen bones contribute to the formation of the viscerocranium:
Six paired bones (maxilla, inferior nasal conchae, and palatine, lacrimal, zygomatic, and nasal bones);
Three singular bones (mandible, vomer, and ethmoid bones).
Image by Anatomy Standard, cropped from the original, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Unpaired bones of neurocranium
Unpaired bones of neurocranium
The sphenoid bone is located near the front of the brain part of the skull. It’s a symmetrical bone that looks like a butterfly.
The frontal bone is located at the front of the skull. It makes up the forehead, gives it a smooth shape, and protects the front part of the brain.
The occipital bone is located at the back of the skull. It’s shaped like a trapezoid and protects the back part of the brain, the cerebellum, and part of the brainstem.
The ethmoid bone is located at the front part of the skull near the nose. It’s a light, spongy bone that separates the nose from the brain and helps form parts of the eye sockets, nose, and nasal wall.
Paired bones of neurocranium
Paired bones of neurocranium
The temporal bones are found on each side of the skull. They are complex and help connect muscles. They also hold the parts of the ear that let us hear and keep our balance.
The parietal bones are large, flat bones on the top and sides of the skull. They help form the roof and upper sides of the head.
Unpaired bones of viscerocranium
Unpaired bones of viscerocranium
The vomer is a small, plow-shaped bone that forms the lower back part of the wall between the two sides of the nose.
The mandible is the lower jawbone. It’s shaped like a horseshoe and holds the main chewing muscles. It isn’t fixed to the skull but connects to it at the jaw joint (called the temporomandibular joint).
Image by Anatomy Standard, cropped from the original, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Paired bones of viscerocranium
Paired bones of viscerocranium
The lacrimal bones are small, thin bones found near the inside corners of your eyes. They help form the inside wall of the eye socket and part of the nose. They connect with nearby bones like the ethmoid, maxilla, and inferior nasal concha.
The lacrimal bones are small, thin bones found near the inside corners of your eyes. They help form the inside wall of the eye socket and part of the nose. They connect with nearby bones like the ethmoid, maxilla, and inferior nasal concha.
The nasal bones are small bones in the middle of the face. They sit at the top of the nose and form the bridge. They meet in the center with each other.
The zygomatic bone is also called the cheekbone. It gives shape to the cheeks and connects with muscles used for facial movement.
The palatine bones are L-shaped bones at the back of the nose. They help form the back part of the roof of the mouth and a small part of the eye socket.
The maxillae is the main bone in the middle of the face. It’s made from two bones that join into one. It supports the upper jaw and helps hold the face together.
The inferior nasal concha is a curved bone inside the nose on the side wall. It helps move and clean the air you breathe. It connects with nearby bones like the palatine, lacrimal, ethmoid, and maxilla.
Need a recap? Take a look at the skull anatomy notes here.
Need a recap? Take a look at the skull anatomy notes here.
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References
Raits, J. S. K. (n.d.-b). Ethmoid bone. Anatomy Standard. https://www.anatomystandard.com/ossa-et-juncturae/cranium/os-ethmoidale.html
Raits, J. S. K. (n.d.-b). Neurocranium bone complex. Anatomy Standard. https://www.anatomystandard.com/ossa-et-juncturae/cranium/ossa-neurocranii.html
Soriano, R. M., & Das, J. M. (2022, September 12). Anatomy, head and neck, Maxilla. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538527/
TeachMeAnatomy. (2025, April 2). Bones of the skull - Structure - Fractures. TeachMeAnatomy. https://teachmeanatomy.info/head/osteology/skull/
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