68 



HEAD AND NECK 



not much elastic tissue developed in connection with it, and 

 it appears to be a continuation upwards of the supraspinous 

 ligament from the spine of the seventh cervical vertebra to the 

 external occipital protuberance. In shape it is somewhat 

 triangular. By its base it is attached to the external occipital 

 crest ; by its anterior border it is fixed by a series of slips to 

 the posterior tubercle of the atlas, and to the bifid spines of the 

 cervical vertebrae, in the intervals between their tubercles. Its 



Posterior atlanto- 



occipital membrane 



Posterior ramus of 



sub-occipital nerve 



Greater occipital ne 



Vertebral artery. 



Anterior rami 

 of spinal nerves' 



Posterior arch of atlas 

 Ligamentum nuchae 



Posterior rami of spinal 

 nerves 



Seventh cervical vertebra 



FIG. 19. Dissection of the Ligamentum Nuchae and of the 

 Vertebral Artery in the Neck. 



apex is attached to the spine of the seventh cervical vertebra, 

 whilst its posterior border is, in a measure, free, and gives 

 origin to the trapezius, rhomboid, serratus posterior superior, 

 and splenius muscles 



Arteria Profunda Cervicis. The deep cervical artery springs 

 from the costo-cervical branch of the subclavian, and reaches 

 the back of the neck by passing between the transverse 

 process of the last cervical vertebra and the neck of the first 

 rib. At the present stage of the dissection it is seen ascend- 

 ing upon the semispinalis cervicis muscle and anastomosing 



