It is a bony structure, the head in the skeleton, which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.

The adult skull consists of two parts:  The neurocranium and the viscerocranium.

The neurocranium (or braincase) is a protective cranial vault that surrounds the brain and brainstem.

The viscerocranium (also splanchnocranium or facial skeleton) is formed by the bones supporting the face.