In Greek mythology, Hesiod uses the Greek word pithos for the large jar associated with Pandora.
A pithos was a large storage vessel used in the ancient Greek world, commonly for commodities such as grain, oil, or wine. In Works and Days, Hesiod describes Pandora opening such a container and releasing the troubles that had been hidden from humanity. The vessel is therefore materially closer to a storage jar than to a small modern box.
The familiar expression “Pandora’s box” developed later through translation and retelling. Erasmus’s Latin formulation helped establish the box wording in European languages, even though the Greek source uses pithos. This difference is one of the most frequently noted changes between the ancient text and popular culture.
Krater, hydria, and lekythos are also Greek vessel terms, but they refer to different types of pottery. A krater mixed wine and water, a hydria carried water, and a lekythos was often a narrow vessel for oil.