Anatomy of the Ear

External view of the human ear showing the natural folds of the auricle.

For anatomists, the term “ear” has a slightly different meaning than it does in everyday speech. In fact, the ear is a rather complex organ that has three parts – the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

In everyday speech, we usually call only the outer, visible part of this organ the ear. This part is known as the auricle.

In addition to the auricle, the external auditory canal is part of the outer ear. The middle ear is a cavity separated from the ear canal by the tympanic membrane.

This cavity is connected to the pharynx by a canal called the auditory tube. Because of this connection, infections can spread from the pharynx through the auditory tube and cause otitis media, or inflammation of the middle ear.

Human ear anatomy with the auricle, external auditory canal, tympanic membrane, tympanic cavity, semicircular canals, cochlea, internal carotid artery, auditory tube, and temporal bone labeled.

The inner ear is a system of canals so complex that anatomists call it a labyrinth. The canals of the inner ear are filled with fluid that moves in response to sound vibrations.

But we, as artists interested in plastic anatomy, are primarily concerned with the outer ear, or more precisely, its visible part called the auricle.

The auricle is the most protruding part of the ear. Its shape helps capture and direct sound waves.

The auricle is made up of cartilage, skin, and adipose tissue. Almost the entire auricle is formed by cartilage, with the exception of the earlobe, which consists largely of skin and fatty tissue.

The lack of cartilage makes this part of the ear convenient for piercing and wearing earrings. In people who wear large and heavy earrings, the earlobe can become stretched.

The opening through which sound enters the external auditory canal is called the external auditory opening. In front of it is a rounded cartilaginous protrusion called the tragus. Opposite the tragus is another cartilaginous protrusion called the antitragus.

Auricle anatomy with the helix, antihelix, triangular fossa, tragus, and antitragus labeled.

The thickened ridge of cartilage covered with skin that curves around the outer edge of the auricle, except for the earlobe, is called the helix.

On the inner side of the ear is a similar ridge called the antihelix. At the top, the antihelix divides into two branches. A small triangular fossa forms between these branches of the antihelix.

People have different ear shapes. When drawing an ear on a mixed martial arts fighter or grappler, you can depict it as deformed, since this is common among fighters. Fairy-tale characters, on the other hand, often have long, pointed ears.