The arachnoid and the myth of Arachne

THE DISCOVERY OF the arachnoid membrane is a relatively recent advance. Anc ient anatomists noted the presence of the dura mater and pia mater, but the intervening arachnoid membrane was left undescribed. It was not until the 17th century that anatomists discovered a layer separating the pia mater fr om the dura mater and named this cobweb-like layer the "arachnoid." Arachno id means "spider-like" and has an interesting etymology that can be traced to the ancient Creek myth of Arachne.