The Cranium, also called the "Skull," describes the skeleton of the head, face and mandible. It is a portion of the axial skeleton, or that portion associated with the central nervous system. Those portions of the skeleton not associated with the central nervous system, are associated with the appendicular skeleton or the extremities (i.e., the arms and legs). The axial skeleton consists of the cranium, all the osseous elements of the vertebral column, the ribs, and the sternum.

In an adult, various of the bones of the cranium are paired left and a right, while others, which cross the mid-sagittal plane, are unpaired. Furthermore, the bones of the skull are classified as those which are called Cranial Bones, or contribute to that portion surrounding the brain, or Facial Bones (i.e., those which do not assist in forming the braincase).


Glossary of Terms


The Individual Bones

Each of the bones of the cranium posses a number of distinctive features which not only allow the bone to be identified, but also permit its exact location and orientation in the body to be determined (i.e., as a left or right, medial- lateral, posterior-anterior, inferior-superior, etc.). The features listed as characteristic of each of the bones depicted in the general overiew serve as an aid in such an identification. While the list of features accompanying each bone is by no means complete, the major ones are introduced.

To learn more about each of the individual bones of the skull, click on the link to the bones below.

Paired Cranial Bones:

* Parietals
* Temporals

Unpaired Cranial Bones:

* Frontal
* Occipital
* Sphenoid
* Ethmoid

Paired Facial Bones:

* Lacrimals
* Nasals
* Zygomatics
* Maxillae
* Palatines
* Inferior Nasal Conchae

Unpaired Facial Bones:

* Vomer
* Mandible
* Hyoid