Ligaments of the Spine. 



61 



79. The Ligaments between >tlie Axis, Atlas and 



Occipital Boiie, seen from the vertebral canal. 



The strong transverse ligament, Ligamentum transversum 

 atlantis , presses the odontoid process of the axis toward the articular 

 surface of the anterior arch of the atlas. From the upper border of 

 this ligament a ligamentous cms goes to the anterior border of the 

 Foramen occipitale magnum, and a similar cms from its lower border to 

 the body of the axis ; the vertical crura form with the Liganientum trans- 

 versum the crucial ligament, Ligamentum cruciatum. The odontoid 

 process is fixed at the anterior border of the Foramen magnum by three 

 ligaments, of which the middle is called Ligamentum suspmsorium, the two 

 lateral Ligamcnta alaria. ' In the figure the capsular ligaments of the 

 occipito-atloid articulations are also shown. The upper vertical crus of 

 the crucial ligament is drawn somewhat aside, to show the Ligamentum 

 suspensorium. 



