The original Greek name for Pandora’s container was pithos. A pithos was a large storage jar used in ancient Greece for commodities such as grain, wine, or oil.
Hesiod’s Works and Days describes Pandora opening a pithos, not a small box. The modern phrase “Pandora’s box” arose from a Renaissance translation mistake or reinterpretation: the Greek term was rendered into Latin as pyxis, a word associated with a box. That wording eventually became standard in European languages.
The distinction matters because the size and function of a pithos affect the imagery of the myth. Pandora’s container was a substantial household vessel, fitting the ancient context of storing supplies. The myth’s moral meaning, however, remained focused on humanity’s exposure to suffering and the survival of hope.