external occipital crest

{{Infobox anatomy

| Name = External occipital crest

| Latin = crista occipitalis externa

| Greek =

| Image = External occipital crest.jpg

| Caption = Skull seen from below

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The external occipital crest is part of the external surface of the squamous part of the occipital bone. It is a ridge along the midline, beginning at the external occipital protuberance and descending to the foramen magnum, that gives attachment to the nuchal ligament.{{cite book|last=Halim|first=A.|title=Anatomy : regional and clinical for dental students|year=2008|publisher=I.K. International Publishing House|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-8190656658|page=12|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hyoX9SkGBysC&q=external+occipital+crest&pg=PA12}} It is also called the median nuchal line.{{cite web|title=Medical Definition of OCCIPITAL CREST|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/occipital%20crest|website=www.merriam-webster.com}}