In Greek mythology, Pandora’s container is called a pithos in Hesiod’s Greek text. A pithos was a large storage jar used in the ancient Greek world, commonly for products such as grain, wine, or oil.
The familiar expression “Pandora’s box” is therefore technically different from Hesiod’s wording. The box image became widespread through later translation and retelling, especially after the Renaissance. Many modern illustrations follow the popular phrase rather than the original description of a large jar.
A pithos was not a drinking vessel. It was a substantial container, often made of pottery and sometimes large enough to stand taller than a person. That physical context makes the traditional phrase “opening Pandora’s box” a cultural adaptation rather than a direct description of the earliest surviving version.
The other vessel names are Greek pottery terms, but they refer to different forms. A krater mixed wine, an amphora stored liquids, and a kylix was a drinking cup.