Final answer:
The oval, bony case that protects the brain is known as the cranium or braincase, containing the cranial cavity. It is made up of the calvaria and other bones united by connective tissue and different sutures. The skull base has three cranial fossae that support the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
An oval, bony case that protects the brain is known as the cranium, sometimes called the braincase. The brain is encased in the cranial cavity of the skull, which is bounded by the calvaria on top and the sides of the skull. The brain case is made up of several bones, including the flat bones such as the parietal and temporal bones, and other bones like the frontal, occipital, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones. These bones are united by fibrous connective tissue, forming sutures such as the sagittal, coronal, lambdoid, and squamous sutures. The bottom of the skull includes the cranial fossae: anterior, middle, and posterior, which provide a base for the brain and have openings for major blood vessels and nerves.