In Hesiod’s detailed account, Pandora opened a jar rather than a box.
The Greek word is pithos, a large storage jar used in the ancient Greek world. Hesiod uses that term in Works and Days when describing the vessel that contains humanity’s troubles. The familiar expression “Pandora’s box” developed much later through translation and artistic tradition.
A pithos was generally a substantial ceramic container for storing goods such as grain, wine, or oil. That physical image differs from the small hinged box shown in many modern illustrations. The change helped make the story easier to visualize for later European audiences.
The phrase “Pandora’s box” is now firmly established in English, so it is not normally treated as a mistake in everyday speech. Historically, however, “Pandora’s jar” is closer to Hesiod’s wording.