Traditionally the skull is the single most studied bone in physical anthropology, and has a complex form that develops under the influences of growth, tension and maturation. The skull is made up of 22 bones (excluding Wormian bones and ear ossicles) consisting of 14 facial bones and 8 cranial bones. It is the most complex part of the skeleton and is of major importance for physical anthropology. Knowledge of common cranial terminology is useful when assessing the skull.

1. The skull is the entire skeletal framework of the head.

2. The mandible is the lower jaw.

3. The cranium is the skull without the mandible.

4. The calvaria is the cranium without the face.

5. The splanchnocranium is the facial skeleton.

6. The neurocranium is the brain case.

7. The Frankfurt Plane is reached when a horizontal line passes through the inferior border of the orbit (orbitale) and the external auditory meatus (porion) on both sides of the skull (see Fig. 3.1).

Figures 3.2 and 3.3 illustrate the position and name of each of the bones of the skull and describe common cranial terms.

There are many personal identification details that can be determined from the skull. The three most important factors are the sex, age and racial origin of the person, and without these determinants it would be nearly impossible to identify the individual. A complete and undamaged skeleton can be assessed with an extremely high level of accuracy for sex (98 per cent), have the age estimated to within five years and be assigned to one of three major racial origin groups (Caucasian, Negroid and Mongoloid).