External Carotid Artery/Vein

The "external carotid artery" flows upward on the side of the head to branch into various structures in the neck, face, jaw, scalp, and base of the skull. The main vessels that originate from this artery are: (1) the "superior thyroid artery" to the hyoid bone, larynx, and thyroid gland; (2) the "lingual artery" to the tongue, muscles of the tongue, and salivary glands below the tongue; (3) the "facial artery" to the pharynx (throat), palate, chin, lips, and nose; (4) the "occipital artery" to the scalp on the back of the skull and various muscles in the neck; and (5) the "posterior auricular artery" to the ear and scalp over the ear. The external carotid artery terminates by division into the "maxillary" and "superficial temporal arteries."