In Greek mythology, Zeus ordered Pandora to carry a jar to Epimetheus. Hesiod’s original Greek word refers to a large storage vessel, commonly translated as a jar or pithos.
The jar was associated with the troubles that would enter the human world after Pandora opened it. Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days describe the container and its consequences, but neither ancient account requires the familiar modern image of a small wooden box.
The “box” wording became established through later translation history, especially after the Renaissance. The mistranslation or adaptation changed the visual image of the myth while preserving the basic plot. In classical Greek, a pithos could be a substantial earthenware storage container.
Epimetheus, whose name is often explained as “afterthought,” accepted Pandora despite Prometheus’s warning. The jar episode follows her arrival and forms the central turning point in the story.