Osteometric points are an agreed upon set of locations on the skeleton

Skeleton

The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...

, or more commonly the skull, that aid in the study of osteology

Osteology

Osteology is the scientific study of bones. A subdiscipline of anatomy, anthropology, and archeology, osteology is a detailed study of the structure of bones, skeletal elements, teeth, morphology, function, disease, pathology, the process of ossification , the resistance and hardness of bones , etc...

. These points where developed to help researchers make comparative measurements between specimens, and report finding in a unified and unambiguous manner.

These points are often placed at key landmarks or bone sutures (e.g. Bregma

Bregma

The bregma is the anatomical point on the skull at which the coronal suture is intersected perpendicularly by the sagittal suture.-Location:The bregma is located at the intersection of the coronal suture and the sagittal suture on the superior middle portion of the calvarium...

- where the coronal

Coronal suture

The coronal suture is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint that separates the frontal and parietal bones of the skull. At birth, the bones of the skull do not meet.-Pathology:...

 and sagittal suture

Sagittal suture

The sagittal suture is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint between the two parietal bones of the skull. The term is derived from the Latin word Sagitta, meaning "arrow". The derivation of this term may be demonstrated by observing how the sagittal suture is notched posteriorly, like an arrow,...

s intersect)to simplify the process of properly identifying them.

Common Cranial Osteometric points

• Incision- the point on the occlusal where the upper central incisors meet.
• Nasion- the mid-point where the two nasal bones and the frontal bone intersect.
• Glabella- The forward most mid-line point on the frontal bone.
• Bregma- Mid line point where the coronal and sagittal sutures intersect.
• Gnathion- The most inferior mid-line point on the mandible.
• Porion- The highest point the external auditory meatus.
• Orbitale- The lowest point on the orbital.