| External occipital crest | |
| Latin: | crista occipitalis externa |
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.[1] It is also called the median nuchal line.[2]