THE EN TIKE SKULL 463 



attachment of the temporal muscle. The superior surface is divided 

 into two lateral halves by the straight longitudinal sagittal 1 suture. 

 At its middle it is crossed by the transverse jagged fronto-parietal or 

 coronal 2 suture which joins the frontals to the parietals. The anterior 

 half of the sagittal suture, the part which joins the two frontals, is 

 given a distinct name, the frontal or metopic 3 suture, the term sagittal 

 usually being confined to the remaining portion between the two 

 parietals. At the posterior end of the sagittal suture are the anterior 

 ends of the short interparieto-parietal sutures joining the triangular 

 median interparietal to the parietals. These sutures are directed from 

 this point backward, outward, and downward to the point of meeting 

 of the occipito-parietal and interparieto-occipital sutures on each side. 

 The interparieto-occipital suture is short and unites the posterior end 

 of the interparietal to the occipital. It runs transversely, parallel and 

 a short distance anterior to the lambdoidal crest, and is continued on 

 each side as the occipito-parietal suture. The interparieto-parietal 

 and the occipito-parietal taken together are known as the lambdoidal 

 suture. The lambdoidal suture terminates below where it joins the 

 upper ends of two sutures, namely, the upper part of the temporo- 

 parietal suture, known as the parieto-mastoid suture, and the occipito- 

 mastoid suture. The superior surface of the skull presents no note- 

 worthy foramina. 



Several regions of use in cephalic measurement are best seen in 

 this aspect of the skull. In some skulls close to the jagged posterior 

 end of the sagittal suture on each side is a small foramen in the parietal. 

 The region about this point is known as the obelion. 4 A little further 

 below, where the sagittal suture divides into the lambdoidal, is the 

 lambda. The external occipital protuberance is known as the inion. 

 The point of intersection of the sagittal and coronal sutures is the 

 bregma. 5 The point on the coronal suture intersected by the temporal 



1 From sagitta, an arrow. 



2 From corona, a chaplet, a crown. 



3 From (Gr.) metopon, the space between the eyes ; the forehead. 



4 From (Gr.) obelus, a spit; also a sign -=- used by ancient writers to mark 

 superfluous passages. 



5 Bregma (Gr. from brecho, to moisten), the front part of the head, the sinciput. 

 It marks the position in young children of the anterior fontanelle, which is soft 

 and was thought to correspond with the most humid part of the brain. 



