Petrous part of the temporal bone

Petrous part of the temporal bone
Left temporal bone. Outer surface.[clarification needed]
Petrous part of the temporal bone
Details
Identifiers
Latinpars petrosa ossis temporalis
MeSHD010579
TA98A02.1.06.002
TA2642
FMA52871
Anatomical terms of bone

The petrous part of the temporal bone is pyramid-shaped and is wedged in at the base of the skull between the sphenoid and occipital bones. Directed medially, forward, and a little upward, it presents a base, an apex, three surfaces, and three angles, and houses in its interior the components of the inner ear. The petrous portion is among the most basal elements of the skull and forms part of the endocranium. Petrous comes from the Latin word petrosus, meaning "stone-like, hard". It is one of the densest bones in the body. In other mammals, it is a separate bone, the petrosal bone.

The petrous bone is important for studies of ancient DNA from skeletal remains, as it tends to contain extremely well-preserved DNA.