What is the occipital bone?
The occipital bone is called the occipital bone. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a single trapezoid-shaped bone that forms the back and lower part of the skull.
What it is
- A single trapezoid-shaped bone that forms the back and lower part of the skull.
- Contains the large opening (foramen magnum) through which the spinal cord passes.
- Bears two rounded knobs (occipital condyles) on which the atlas rests.
Where it is
- At the back and base of the skull.
- Joins the two parietal bones above and the two temporal bones on the sides.
- Its condyles sit on top of the atlas.
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Last verified: 2026-07-18
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