In the original Greek myth, Pandora opens a jar.
Hesiod describes Pandora opening a large storage jar, traditionally called a pithos, rather than a small modern box. The jar releases troubles and evils into the world. The familiar phrase “Pandora’s box” developed later through translation and artistic tradition, which is why the object is usually pictured as a box today.
A pithos was a substantial container used in the ancient Greek world for storing materials such as grain, oil, or wine. Its scale makes the myth’s image different from the compact hinged box common in modern illustrations.
The wording matters because “Pandora’s box” is the established expression, but “jar” is the closer description of Hesiod’s original object. Some retellings also portray the container as a vase or chest, yet the earliest literary account identifies a jar.