In this pdf-note, we will learn about the structure of the occipital bone (os occipitale). It is located in the posteroinferior part of the cranium and is the bone that connects the cranium with the cervical spine.
There are several parts of the occipital bone:
Basilar part (pars basilaris)
Squamous part of the occipital bone (squama occipitalis)
Squamous part of the occipital bone (squama occipitalis) 
Lateral part (pars lateralis) – paired
Lateral part (pars lateralis) 
All these parts surround the so-called foramen magnum of the occipital bone (foramen occipitale magnum).
Foramen magnum (foramen occipitale magnum) 
At the age of 17-20 years, the basilar part fuses with the posterior surface of the body of the sphenoidal bone, resulting in the formation of the so-called clivus (clivus).
Clivus (clivus) 
The basilar part has two surfaces:
Superior (cerebral) surface (facies superior / cerebralis)
Inferior surface (facies inferior)
On the basilar part in the lateral region, there is a groove for the inferior petrosal sinus (sulcus sinus petrosi inferioris).
Groove for the inferior petrosal sinus (sulcus sinus petrosi inferioris) 
On this groove, there is a pharyngeal tubercle (tuberculum pharyngeum), to which the posterior wall of the pharynx is attached.
Pharyngeal tubercle (tuberculum pharyngeum) 
The lateral parts are located on the flanks of the foramen magnum.
Here on the lower surface of each flank, there is an occipital condyle (condylus occipitalis), which connects to the superior articular surface of the atlas.
Occipital condyle (condylus occipitalis) 
Just above the condyle there is a sublingual canal (canalis nervi hypoglossalis), in which the sublingual nerve passes.
Sublingual canal (canalis nervi hypoglossalis) 
There is also a condylar fossa (fossa condylaris) above the condyle.
Condylar fossa (fossa condylaris) 
In its inferior part, there is a condylar canal (canalis condylaris), in which the condylar emissary vein passes.
Condylar canal (canalis condylaris) 
Laterally from the condyle, there is a jugular notch (incisura jugularis), which is bounded posteriorly by a rather large jugular process (processus jugularis).
Jugular notch (incisura jugularis) 
Jugular process (processus jugularis) 
This notch is connected to the notch of the temporal bone of the same name, resulting in the formation of a jugular foramen (foramen jugulare).
Jugular foramen (foramen jugulare) 
There is also an intrajugular process (processus intrajugularis), which divides the foramen into two compartments.
Intrajugular process (processus intrajugularis) 
In the anterior compartment of the lateral part, on each side there is a jugular tubercle (tuberculum jugulare), which is the place of insertion of the atlanto-occipital membrane.
Jugular tubercle (tuberculum jugulare) 
On the cerebral surface of the lateral part there is a groove for the sigmoid sinus (sulcus sinus sigmoidei), in which the sinus venosus of the same name is located.
Groove for the sigmoid sinus (sulcus sinus sigmoidei) 
The occipital part has two surfaces:
External surface (facies externa)
Internal (cerebral) surface (facies interna / cerebralis)
On the external surface, there is an external occipital protuberance (protuberantia occipitalis externa).
External occipital protuberance (protuberantia occipitalis externa) 
The external occipital crest (crista occipitalis externa) arises from it in the inferior direction.
External occipital crest (crista occipitalis externa) 
Laterally, the superior nuchal line (linea nuchalis superior) arises.
Superior nuchal line (linea nuchalis superior) 
Slightly inferiorly on the external surface of the occipital bone, there is also an inferior nuchal line (linea nuchalis inferior).
Inferior nuchal line (linea nuchalis inferior) 
And in the superior part of the bone, there is the highest nuchal line (linea nuchalis suprema).
Highest nuchal line (linea nuchalis suprema) 
Muscles and fascia are attached to these structures.
The following pits form most of the cerebral surface of the squamous part:
Cerebral fossa (fossa cerebralis)
Cerebellar fossa (fossa cerebellaris)
On the cerebral surface, there is a cruciform eminence (eminentia cruciformis), which is the confluence of the snus venosi.
Here in the center, there is an internal occipital protuberance (protuberantia occipitalis interna).
On the flanks of the cruciform eminence, there is a groove for the transverse sinus (sulcus sinus transversi).
The groove for the superior sagittal sinus (sulcus sinus sagittalis superioris) arises upward from the eminence.
And from the bottom the eminence continues into the internal occipital crest (crista occipitalis interna).
Occipital bone: Anatomy & Function
- occipital bone
- os occipitale
- basilar part
- pars basilaris
- squamous part of the occipital bone
- squama occipitalis
- lateral part
- pars lateralis
- foramen magnum
- foramen occipitale magnum
- clivus
- clivus
- cerebral surface
- facies superior / cerebralis
- inferior surface
- facies inferior
- groove for the inferior petrosal sinus
- sulcus sinus petrosi inferioris
- pharyngeal tubercle
- tuberculum pharyngeum
- occipital condyle
- condylus occipitalis
- hypoglossal canal
- canalis nervi hypoglossi
- condylar fossa
- fossa condylaris
- condylar canal
- canalis condylaris
- jugular notch
- incisura jugularis
- jugular process
- processus jugularis
- jugular foramen
- foramen jugulare
- intrajugular process
- processus intrajugularis
- jugular tubercle
- tuberculum jugulare
- groove for the sigmoid sinus
- sulcus sinus sigmoidei
- external surface
- facies externa
- internal surface
- facies interna / cerebralis
- external occipital protuberance
- protuberantia occipitalis externa
- external occipital crest
- crista occipitalis externa
- superior nuchal line
- linea nuchalis superior
- inferior nuchal line
- linea nuchalis inferior
- highest nuchal line
- linea nuchalis suprema
- cerebral fossa
- fossa cerebralis
- cerebellar fossa
- fossa cerebellaris
- cruciform eminence
- eminentia cruciformis
- internal occipital protuberance
- protuberantia occipitalis interna
- groove for the transverse sinus
- sulcus sinus transversi
- groove for the superior sagittal sinus
- sulcus sinus sagittalis superioris
- internal occipital crest
- crista occipitalis interna
- occipital bone
- os occipitale
- basilar part
- pars basilaris
- squamous part of the occipital bone
- squama occipitalis
- lateral part
- pars lateralis
- foramen magnum
- foramen occipitale magnum
- clivus
- clivus
- cerebral surface
- facies superior / cerebralis
- inferior surface
- facies inferior
- groove for the inferior petrosal sinus
- sulcus sinus petrosi inferioris
- pharyngeal tubercle
- tuberculum pharyngeum
- occipital condyle
- condylus occipitalis
- hypoglossal canal
- canalis nervi hypoglossi
- condylar fossa
- fossa condylaris
- condylar canal
- canalis condylaris
- jugular notch
- incisura jugularis
- jugular process
- processus jugularis
- jugular foramen
- foramen jugulare
- intrajugular process
- processus intrajugularis
- jugular tubercle
- tuberculum jugulare
- groove for the sigmoid sinus
- sulcus sinus sigmoidei
- external surface
- facies externa
- internal surface
- facies interna / cerebralis
- external occipital protuberance
- protuberantia occipitalis externa
- external occipital crest
- crista occipitalis externa
- superior nuchal line
- linea nuchalis superior
- inferior nuchal line
- linea nuchalis inferior
- highest nuchal line
- linea nuchalis suprema
- cerebral fossa
- fossa cerebralis
- cerebellar fossa
- fossa cerebellaris
- cruciform eminence
- eminentia cruciformis
- internal occipital protuberance
- protuberantia occipitalis interna
- groove for the transverse sinus
- sulcus sinus transversi
- groove for the superior sagittal sinus
- sulcus sinus sagittalis superioris
- internal occipital crest
- crista occipitalis interna
