Ossicles deep): the malleus, incus, and stapes, terms that in Latin are translated as "the hammer, anvil, and stirrup". Studies have shown that ear bones in mammal embryos are attached to the dentary, which is part of the jaw. These are ossified portions of cartilage—called Meckel's cartilage—that are attached to the jaw. As the embryo develops, the cartilage hardens to form bone. Later in development, the bone structure breaks loose from the jaw and migrates to the inner ear area. The structure is known as the middle ear, and is made up of the stapes, incus, malleus, and tympanic membrane. These
Anvil for specialized work. The "step" is that area of the anvil between the "horn" and the "face". It is soft and is used for cutting; its purpose is to prevent damaging the steel face of the anvil by conducting such operations there and so as not to damage the cutting edge of the chisel, though many smiths shun this practice as it will damage the anvil over time. The "hardie hole" is a square hole into which specialized forming and cutting tools, called Hardy tools, are placed. It is also used in punching and bending operations. The "pritchel hole" is