Taft's Sculptures | Bone Facts | Bones in Art & Religion

Bones are made of calcium, phosphate, and minerals, held together by collagen, a fibrous protein. These substances are combined in a crystal-like or latticework structure, which makes bones very strong. That's why such delicate-looking things can bear the weight of an entire body.

In July of 2005, scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, announced a new discovery relating to bone strength. Evidently, there is a kind of "glue" in bones long before they are ever boiled to make an adhesive. Described as "molecular shock absorbers," the tiny structures were revealed in the highest resolution photos of bones ever taken.

Some commonly found mammal bones that Richardson uses are from rabbits, raccoons, deer, and squirrels. Here in Florida, he's also likely to find bones from armadillos, lizards, opossums, and the many types of birds that live here or use Florida as a flyway. There are also bones from domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, chickens, goats, pigs, and cows. Richardson uses a lot of different kinds of bones that have a variety of qualities needed in his art. A few interesting examples:

• Due to the large number of breeds, dogs have the greatest variety in the size and configuration of their bones of any species.

• Cats have skeletal structures very similar to humans. One significant difference is that cats have more vertebrae than humans because of their tails. Another is that cats do not have a collarbone, a feature that allows them to squeeze through narrow spaces.

• Bird bones are more square and triangular than mammal bones. They have hollow spaces containing a spiderweb-like structure that keeps them strong yet light enough for flying.

• Fish bones are twig-like and often so thin that light can pass through them.

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