What is the skull?

The skull is a bony structure that forms the head in vertebrates, which is made up of a number of fused flat bones, that are joined together by sutures (fibrous joints). 

The human skull is composed of 22 bones, which is divided into two parts: 

1. The Neurocranium- It encloses the brain and provides a protective layer to it.

It is comprised of eight bones: (i) Occipital (ii) Two Temporal bones (iii) Two Parietal bones (iv) Sphenoid (v) Ethmoid

(vi) Frontal bone.

2. Viscerocranium (facial skeleton)- It is the skeleton of the face which supports the face structures.

It is comprised of fourteen bones: (i) Two Nasal (ii) Two Maxillae (iii) Two Lacrimals (iv) Two Zygomatics (v) Two Palatines

(vi) Two Inferior Nasal Conchae (vii) Vomer (viii) Mandible (lower jaw, or jawbone).

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Updated on: 30-Mar-2023

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