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Related Concept Videos

Overview of the Skull01:08

Overview of the Skull

The cranium (skull) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain. It is subdivided into the facial bones and the brain case, or cranial vault. The facial bones underlie the facial structures, form the nasal cavity, enclose the eyeballs, and support the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...
Sutures of the Skull01:22

Sutures of the Skull

The human skull is composed of several bones that come together to protect the brain and support the structures of the face. The junctions where these bones meet are called sutures.
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View01:14

Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View

The superior view of the cranium shows the frontal and paired parietal bones.
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
Cranial Bones: Lateral View01:27

Cranial Bones: Lateral View

The lateral view of the cranium is dominated by temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
06:18

Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains

Published on: November 30, 2021

Earliest directly-dated human skull-cups.

Silvia M Bello1, Simon A Parfitt, Chris B Stringer

  • 1Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom. s.bello@nhm.ac.uk

Plos One
|March 2, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Archaeologists discovered the oldest directly dated skull-cups at Gough's Cave, England. These Upper Palaeolithic human remains show evidence of post-mortem modification for use as containers, dating back approximately 14,700 years.

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Isolation of Intact Eyeball to Obtain Integral Ocular Surface Tissue for Histological Examination and Immunohistochemistry
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Isolation of Intact Eyeball to Obtain Integral Ocular Surface Tissue for Histological Examination and Immunohistochemistry
05:15

Isolation of Intact Eyeball to Obtain Integral Ocular Surface Tissue for Histological Examination and Immunohistochemistry

Published on: October 20, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Archaeology
  • Bioarchaeology
  • Palaeolithic Studies

Background:

  • Human braincases were historically used as drinking cups, but archaeological evidence is scarce.
  • The Upper Palaeolithic Magdalenian tradition in Western Europe features cut-marked human bones.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate post-mortem modifications of human remains at Gough's Cave.
  • To identify archaeological evidence of skull-cup production.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of cut-marks and percussion features on human bones.
  • Radiocarbon dating of human remains.

Main Results:

  • Evidence of skilled post-mortem manipulation of human bodies, including cranial vault shaping.
  • Skulls were cleaned of soft tissues, had facial regions removed, and cranial bases broken.
  • Retouching of cranial vaults suggests shaping for use as skull-cups.

Conclusions:

  • Three skull-cups were identified at Gough's Cave.
  • Direct radiocarbon dating places these skull-cups at approximately 14,700 cal BP.
  • These are the oldest directly dated skull-cups and the only known examples from the British Isles.