The posterior auricular artery is part of the blood system of the head and face. One of the major arteries of the head and the neck is the external carotid artery. It arises from the common carotid artery, which emerges from the heart. There are two of these arteries, one for each side of the body. Each of the common carotid arteries branches in the neck to form the internal and external carotid arteries. Behind the neck of the mandible, the external carotid artery branches into the superficial temporal and maxillary arteries. The posterior auricular artery emerges at the back of the jaw and runs below the parotid (salivary) glad; it then ascends behind the ear, on the temporal bones. It supplies blood to the visible part of the ear and to the scalp behind the ear. The occipital branch of the posterior auricular artery supplies the occipitalis muscle and the scalp behind and above the ear with oxygenated blood. It merges with the occipital artery.