Bone/Legends

"I will flay your skin from your pathetic bones!"

- Palpatine

Bones were calcified, hard tissues that made up the internal skeletons of certain animals, who were referred to as vertebrates. Bones functioned to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, such as how the skull protected a being's brain, along with producing red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue was a type of dense connective tissue. Other organics had an exoskeleton or a cartilaginous skeletal structure. After death, a vertebrate's body would decay, releasing its energy back into its ecosystem and leaving the bones behind. Over time, however, they would dissolve too ans transfer energy and minerals back into the ecosystem.

Examples of bones
Cheekbones were bones that formed part of the Human face. Count Dooku was described as having "high and proud" cheekbones. Wilhuff Tarkin was known for his sharp cheekbones. Trista and Taryn Zel also had sharp, high cheekbones.

The hyoid bone was a bone located near a Human's throat that when fractured usually resulted in fatal injury. This was evident in victims of Force choke, such as Padmé Amidala, who died from complications surrounding a damaged hyoid bone suffered from her husband Darth Vader in 19 BBY.

Cultural value
In some cultures, bones were regarded as having magical properties, from the dangerous Nightsisters of Dathomir to the unassuming Ewoks from Endor. As of 21 BBY, Old Daka, one of the eldest Nightsisters, was known to wear a headdress made of bones. The Ewok shaman Logray would carry a staff ornamented with the spinal bones of a defeated foe.

Particular bones were sometimes considered as sacred in archaic cultures. The Wookiees of Rock Council would use the "talking bone" to give the floor to a speaker.

Lastly, bones were sometimes reused for domestic (as exemplified by the Pau'an architectural style known as ossic) or military uses (notably bone armors).

Behind the scenes
In many cultures, high cheekbones are seen as a sign of female beauty, or as a mark of aristocracy. For this reason, "aristocratic" characters such as Hapans or high-ranking Imperial officials are often described as having prominent cheekbones.