THE HUMAN SKELETON

The skeleton is one of the most recognizable figures in Halloween lore. Its a time when the spirits of the departed can return to the earthly plane and visit or haunt the living. So, knowing a little bit more about the human skeletal structure might help out when working with skeletons for Halloween decoration and props.

We might be a bag of bones, but without them we'd be nothing more than a bag of goo that could only roll around on the floor. The adult human skeletal structure is made up of two-hundred and six bones and without them we'd be in pretty sad shape. We wouldn't be able to stand up or walk.

Bones serve two main purposes. Some of them, like your backbone, provide the structure which enables us to stand erect. Other bones protect the delicate insides of our body, such as organs.

Our skull, which is actually a series of fused bones, acts as a protective helmet for our brain. The vertebrae of the spinal column surround our spinal cord, a complex and very important bundle of nerves. The rib cage is like a set of armor protecting our heart and lungs.

The bones that make up the skeletal structure move as the muscles that are attached to them contract and expand to give movement. Without either we would not be able to move. As muscles contract and expand, the bones to which they are attached act as levers and hinges causing various body parts to move.

Joints provide flexibility between bones. Some joints, like those in our knees, work in a similar to door hinges. The bones in our neck pivot so we can turn our head. Shoulder joints let us move our arms in almost any direction.