Where the hamate sits in the skeleton

Frequently asked questions

Which part of the skeleton is the hamate in?

The hamate is one of the bones of the hand. The hand is made of eight carpal bones, five metacarpals and fourteen phalanges.

How many bones are in the hand?

Each hand has 27 bones: eight carpal bones in the wrist, five metacarpals in the palm and fourteen phalanges in the fingers.

Is there one hamate or a pair?

The hamate is paired: there is one on the left and one on the right, and this page covers both.

Which bones form the carpal tunnel?

The carpal bones form a hollow floor on the palm side, and the flexor retinaculum roofs it over. The retinaculum attaches to the pisiform and the hook of the hamate on the little-finger side and to the tubercles of the scaphoid and trapezium on the thumb side. The median nerve and the finger flexor tendons run through it.