Where the temporal bone sits in the skeleton
The temporal bone is one of a pair of bones on the lower sides of the skull around the ears. They house the middle and inner ear and form the jaw joint with the mandible. The ear canal (external acoustic meatus) passes through it; the mastoid process projects behind the ear and the zygomatic process in front.
Frequently asked questions
Which part of the skeleton is the temporal bone in?
The temporal bone is one of the bones of the skull and hyoid. This group covers the bones that enclose the brain, the bones that frame the face, and the hyoid at the front of the neck.
How many bones are in the skull?
The skull has 22 bones: eight cranial bones that enclose the brain and fourteen facial bones that frame the face. The hyoid in the front of the neck is a separate bone that forms no joint with any other bone.
Is there one temporal bone or a pair?
The temporal bone is paired: there is one on the left and one on the right, and this page covers both.
What is the hard bump behind the ear?
The mastoid process of the temporal bone. The sternocleidomastoid, which turns the head, attaches to it.
Other bones of the skull and hyoid
- Frontal bone
- Parietal bone
- Occipital bone
- Sphenoid bone
- Ethmoid
- Zygomatic bone
- Maxilla
- Mandible
- Nasal bone
- Lacrimal bone
- Palatine bone
- Vomer
- Inferior nasal concha
- Hyoid bone
Joints of the temporal bone
Bone counts
By region
Read more
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