The superior part of the neurocranium is called calvaria (calvaria).

The border between the calvaria and the cranial base runs along a line connecting:

1. External occipital protuberance (protuberantia occipitalis externa)

   

2. Superior nuchal line (linea nuchalis superior)

   

3. Mastoid process (processus mastoideus)

   

4. The area above the external acoustic opening (porus acusticus externus)

   

5. Zygomatic process (processus zygomaticus) of the temporal bone

   

6. Infratemporal crest (crista infratemporalis) of the greater wing of the sphenoidal bone

   

7. Zygomatic process (processus zygomaticus) of the frontal bone

   

8. Supraorbital margin of the frontal bone (margo supraorbitalis)

The following bones form the calvaria

• The squamous part of the frontal bone (squama frontalis)

  

• Parietal bone (os parietale)

  

• The squamous part of the occipital bone (squama occipitalis)

  

• The squamous part of the temporal bone (squama temporalis)

  

• The lateral part of the greater wing (ala major) of the sphenoidal bone

  

  These bones are connected by several sutures, which gives the calvaria a complete form.

• Sagittal suture (sutura sagittalis), which is located between the parietal bones

  

• Coronal suture (sutura coronalis), which is located between the squamous part of the frontal bone and the parietal bone

  

• Lambdoid suture (sutura lambdoidea), which is located between the squamous part of the occipital bone and the parietal bone

  

• Squamous suture (sutura squamosa), which is located between the squamous part of the temporal bone and the parietal bone

  

• Serrate sutures (suturae serratae), which are located between the lateral part of the greater wing of the sphenoidal bone and the surrounding bones

The anterior part of the calvaria is called the forehead (frons).

The anterolateral part of the calvaria is called the temporal fossa (fossa temporalis).

It is bordered from below by the infratemporal crest of the greater wing of the sphenoidal bone, and from the lateral side by the zygomatic arch (arcus zygomaticus).

The posterior superior part of the calvaria is called the vertex (vertex).

The peculiarities of the internal (cerebral) surface of the listed bones are described in the corresponding PDFnotes.

Dictionary

Calvaria

calvaria

calvaria

external occipital protuberance

protuberantia occipitalis externa

superior nuchal line

linea nuchalis superior

mastoid process

processus mastoideus

external acoustic opening

porus acusticus externus

zygomatic process

processus zygomaticus

infratemporal crest

crista infratemporalis

supraorbital margin

margo supraorbitalis

squamous part of frontal bone

squama frontalis

parietal bone

os parietale

squamous part of occipital bone

squama occipitalis

squamous part of temporal bone

squama temporalis

greater wing

ala major

sagittal suture

sutura sagittalis

coronal suture

sutura coronalis

lambdoid suture

sutura lambdoidea

squamous suture

sutura squamosa

serra sutures

suturae serratae

forehead

frons

temporal fossa

fossa temporalis

zygomatic arch

arcus zygomaticus

vertex

vertex