The axial skeleton
The 80 bones of the axial skeleton form the vertical axis of the body. They include the bones of the skull, spinal column, ribs, and sternum (breastbone). Of the 28 bones in the skull, 8 form the cranium that encases the brain; the rest are bones of the face, the ossicles of the middle ear, and the hyoid bone, which is suspended at the back of the jaw by muscles and a ligament and supports the base of the tongue.
The skull is attached to the top (superior end) of the spinal column, also called the spine or backbone. The spine has 33 vertebrae, stacked on one another to provide a flexible column that surrounds and protects the spinal cord. Arcing forward from the vertebrae are 12 pairs of ribs, most of which are attached at the front to the sternum, forming a protective cage (the rib-cage) around the heart and lungs.