A posterior vertebral plating system, comprising: a plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of holes extending through the plate from the upper surface to the lower surface, the plate being configured to extend along the posterior side of at least two vertebrae adjacent at least one lateral mass of each of the vertebra and the holes being spaced in such a way that a first plurality (58a-e) of holes is positionable over the lateral mass of a first vertebra to define a plurality of fixation points to the first vertebra and a second plurality (58a-e) of holes is positionable over the lateral mass of a second vertebra to define a plurality of fixation points to the second vertebra, and a plurality of attachment members insertable through the holes of the plate and into the lateral mass of a corresponding vertebra to fix the plate to the vertebra, in which the width of the bone plate varies along the plate so that the plate has a major width at a plurality of nodes at its widest points, and a minor width at a plurality of recesses at its narrowest points, in which the holes are arranged in at least two longitudinal rows of holes with the holes of one longitudinal row of holes being staggered relative to the holes of the other longitudinal row of holes, the first plurality of holes being arranged in a triangular group (58a-e) of three holes which includes two pairs of laterally adjacent holes, in which the two pairs share one of the holes and the spacing between the holes of each pair is equal, and the second plurality of holes being arranged in a triangular group (58a-e) of three holes which includes two pairs of laterally adjacent holes in which the two pairs share one of the holes and the spacing between the holes of each pair is equal, and in which the positions of first and second triangular groups (58a-e) of holes along the bone plate correspond to adjacent first and second ones of the nodes, the first triangular group of holes being longitudinally spaced from the second triangular group of holes by one of the recesses and by a distance which is greater than the space between the adjacent holes of each group. a plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of holes extending through the plate from the upper surface to the lower surface, the plate being configured to extend along the posterior side of at least two vertebrae adjacent at least one lateral mass of each of the vertebra and the holes being spaced in such a way that a first plurality (58a-e) of holes is positionable over the lateral mass of a first vertebra to define a plurality of fixation points to the first vertebra and a second plurality (58a-e) of holes is positionable over the lateral mass of a second vertebra to define a plurality of fixation points to the second vertebra, and a plurality of attachment members insertable through the holes of the plate and into the lateral mass of a corresponding vertebra to fix the plate to the vertebra, in which the width of the bone plate varies along the plate so that the plate has a major width at a plurality of nodes at its widest points, and a minor width at a plurality of recesses at its narrowest points, in which the holes are arranged in at least two longitudinal rows of holes with the holes of one longitudinal row of holes being staggered relative to the holes of the other longitudinal row of holes, the first plurality of holes being arranged in a triangular group (58a-e) of three holes which includes two pairs of laterally adjacent holes, in which the two pairs share one of the holes and the spacing between the holes of each pair is equal, and the second plurality of holes being arranged in a triangular group (58a-e) of three holes which includes two pairs of laterally adjacent holes in which the two pairs share one of the holes and the spacing between the holes of each pair is equal, and in which the positions of first and second triangular groups (58a-e) of holes along the bone plate correspond to adjacent first and second ones of the nodes, the first triangular group of holes being longitudinally spaced from the second triangular group of holes by one of the recesses and by a distance which is greater than the space between the adjacent holes of each group.