In Greek mythology, what did Pandora originally open: a box or a large jar?

In Greek mythology, Pandora originally opened a large jar, not a box.

Hesiod uses the ancient Greek word pithos, which refers to a large storage container commonly made from clay. Such jars could hold grain, wine, oil, or other supplies. The myth says that Pandora lifted the lid, releasing the troubles intended for humanity; only hope remained inside when she closed it again.

The familiar phrase “Pandora’s box” developed from a Renaissance translation. The humanist Desiderius Erasmus translated pithos into Latin as pyxis, a term associated with a small box or casket. That wording became influential in European languages, even though the earlier Greek image was a storage jar.

The jar-versus-box distinction is one of the most famous transmission changes in classical mythology. “Pandora’s box” is now the standard English expression, while “Pandora’s jar” more closely reflects Hesiod’s original text.