Question

the axial skeleton is composed of what?

Answer 1

The axial skeleton is the part of the skeleton consisting of head and trunk of vertebrae.

Axial skeleton consists of 80 bones.. skull, ossicles of the middle ear,  hyoid bone, rib cage, sternum & vertebral column.

Answer 2

The Axial Skeleton is composed of 80 bones. It includes 74 bones that form the upright axis and six tiny middle ear bones. The 74 bones of the upright axis forms four structures :
1) Skull
2) Vertebrel column
3) Sternum
4) Ribs

Hope it helps.