The Skull

Skull

The Skull (/skʌl/), also known as the cranium, is a bony structure found in many animals which serves to support the structures of the face and protect the brain.

Etymology

The word "skull" is derived from the Old Norse word "skalli", which means a bald head or skull.

Structure

The skull is composed of two parts: the Cranium and the Facial bones. The cranium (or braincase) protects the brain and the facial bones form the upper and lower jaws, the nose, orbits, and the cheekbones.

Cranium

The Cranium is made up of eight bones: the frontal, two parietal, two temporal, occipital, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.

Facial Bones

The Facial bones include the mandible, maxilla, palatine, zygomatic, nasal, lacrimal, vomer, and the inferior nasal conchae.

Function

The primary function of the skull is to protect the brain, it also provides structure to the face and supports several sensory structures such as the eyes, ears, and nose.

Related Terms

• Brain
• Mandible
• Maxilla
• Zygomatic bone
• Nasal bone
• Lacrimal bone
• Vomer
• Inferior nasal conchae

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on The Skull
• Wikipedia's article - The Skull

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