JOINTS OF THE NECK 



361 



connected with the dura mater, and on each side it reaches 

 the atl^nto-occipital capsular ligament. Each of its lateral 

 borders forms an arch over the groove, posterior to the upper 

 articular facet of the atlas, in which the vertebral artery and 

 the first cervical nerve are lodged. It is not uncommon to 

 find these fibrous arches ossified. 



Atlanto- Occipital Capsular Ligaments. These connect 

 the occipital condyles with the lateral masses of the atlas. 



Dura mater 



Vertebral artery and 

 first cervical nerve 



Second cervical 

 nerve 



Basilar portion of 

 occipital bone 



Anterior atlanto- 

 bccipital membrane 

 Two parts of the apical 

 ligament 



Crus superius 



Anterior arch of atlas 



-Transverse ligament 

 Anterior longitudinal 

 ligament 

 Crus inferius 



Lenticular disc of cartila] 

 between the body of the ( 

 tropheus and the dens 



FIG. 144. Median section through the Basilar Portion of Occipital Bone, 

 the Atlas, and the Epistropheus. (From Luschka, slightly modified.) 



Between the membrana tectoria and the transverse ligament a small synovial bursa 

 may be seen. 



They completely surround the joints, and are connected 

 anteriorly with the anterior atlanto-occipital membrane, and 

 posteriorly with the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane. 



The occipital bone, therefore, around the foramen magnum 

 is attached by special ligaments to each of the four portions 

 of the atlas viz., to the anterior arch, to the two lateral 

 masses, and to the posterior arch. 



Dissection. The remaining ligaments are placed within the vertebral 

 canal in connection with its anterior wall. For their proper display it 



