In Greek mythology, what type of vessel did Hesiod describe in Pandora’s story?

In Greek mythology, Hesiod described Pandora’s vessel as a large storage jar. The Greek term is pithos, a substantial container used in the ancient Mediterranean for storing goods such as grain, oil, or wine.

Hesiod’s Works and Days is the earliest surviving full literary account of Pandora’s story. Its vessel is not called a box. The “box” wording became standard in later European tradition, probably through translation history and changing artistic conventions.

A pithos was far larger than the small hinged box shown in many modern illustrations. This matters because the original image is not of Pandora opening a portable container like a jewelry case. It is a domestic storage vessel associated with the practical world of ancient Greek households.