The ancient Greek word for the large jar called Pandora’s box is pithos.
The word pithos refers to a large storage jar used in the ancient Greek world. Pithoi were commonly made from terracotta and could hold grain, oil, wine, or other goods. Their broad bodies and relatively narrow openings made them practical for storage.
The familiar English phrase “Pandora’s box” comes from a translation tradition. In Hesiod’s Greek texts, Pandora’s container is described as a pithos, not specifically as a small box. The shift from jar to box is generally associated with later Latin and European translation history.
This distinction matters because a pithos was a substantial household or agricultural vessel. Ancient examples have been found across the Aegean and Mediterranean, sometimes large enough to stand taller than a person. “Pandora’s jar” is therefore closer to the original Greek wording.