The mirror, detached from it, rested against another wall, and the drawers were receptacles for a miscellaneous assortment of articles from soiled napkins down to bottle wires and dust.
The mosquito vector, the so-called "container breeder", thrives on stagnant water contained in urban litter, trash, and receptacles, also for storing household water.
The striking similarities between the cave finds and historical examples of drinking cups made out of skulls further support a ritual role for the Ice Age receptacles, Bello says.
With the mass introduction of cheap plastic receptacles over the past decade or so, their livelihood has collapsed.
