Head | Definition & Anatomy | Britannica (original) (raw)

human skull (Left) Lateral and (right) frontal views of the human skull.

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Also known as: cephalon

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

head, in human anatomy, the upper portion of the body, consisting of the skull with its coverings and contents, including the lower jaw. It is attached to the spinal column by way of the first cervical vertebra, the atlas, and connected with the trunk of the body by the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves that constitute the neck. The term also is used to describe the anterior or fore part of animals other than humans.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.