In Greek mythology, Pandora’s container was traditionally sealed with a lid. In Hesiod’s account, Pandora receives a large storage jar, called a pithos in Greek, and the story describes the contents escaping after the vessel is opened.
The lid matters because it explains how the troubles remain contained until the decisive opening. Ancient storage jars commonly had covers, so the image is materially different from a small modern box with a hinged top. The phrase “Pandora’s box” became famous later, especially through Latin and European translation traditions, but the older Greek object was a jar.
Artists and storytellers often depict the vessel as a decorated box, chest, or urn. Those forms are understandable adaptations, yet they should not be confused with Hesiod’s original terminology. “A lid” is the straightforward traditional closure; the surviving myth does not require a named metal lock, wax seal, or chain.