Head and Neck Anatomy: Part I – Bony Structures
Cranial Bones - The Neurocranium

There are eight bones considered to be part of the neurocranium. There are four unpaired bones: the ethmoid, sphenoid, frontal and the occipital and 2 pairs of bones: the temporals and parietals. These bones surround the brain in all directions. The bones that form the dome over the brain are flat bones which does not mean they are flat but rather that they have a consistent thickness. The bones that are found at the base of the brain make up the cranial base. These bones have inconsistent shapes and contain openings for blood vessels and nerves to pass into and out of the brain case.