Occipital bun

In a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the occipital bun has been attributed to the enlargement of the visual cortex; this is hypothesized to be an adaptation to lower light levels found in the higher latitudes of Europe.

[4] The occipital bun has also been hypothesized to function in relieving stress on the neck muscles, offsetting the weight of the Neanderthal's heavier, more robust face.

[6] In addition to Neanderthals, fossilized early modern Homo sapiens of Europe have been found to have occipital buns.

Many current-day modern human populations, including Sami, the bushmen of South Africa, and Indigenous Australians, have frequent occurrences of occipital buns.

The most common symptoms include tenderness at the back of the skull while lying down and/or when moving the neck.