---
title: Pandora Vase
author: The Trustees of The British Museum
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13056/pandora-vase/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Pandora Vase
_Authored by The Trustees of The British Museum_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/13056.jpg)
## Image Caption
Red-figure calyx-krater (mixing jar), c. 460-450 BCE, painted in Attica, [Greece](https://www.worldhistory.org/greece/), and found in Altamura, [Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/italy/), attributed to The Niobid Painter. The [Pandora](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pandora/) Vase is named after the top frieze of side A, which shows the creation of Pandora, the first woman according to ancient [Greek mythology](https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Mythology/). Pandora was made by [Hephaestus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hephaistos/) to carry out [Zeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/zeus/)’ will by bringing misery to men with her pithos jar containing pains and trials. Nevertheless, the gifts she received from all the gods - hence her name [pan](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pan/) (= all) plus dora (= gifts) – prepared her for a different purpose. Pandora received stunning, irresistible beauty from [Aphrodite](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aphrodite/) and a bold and cunning spirit from [Hermes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hermes/). These gifts suggest that the main reason for Pandora’s creation was to put men into torment with the fire of love, a fire fiercer and hotter than the one [Prometheus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Prometheus/) had stolen from the gods for humanity. Her birth, therefore, is primarily associated with the introduction of pleasure and delight, both in love affair and in its outcome, namely family and children, to human life. This reading of the story underlines the artist’s plan for the decoration of this vase. All four friezes painted on this vase reflect how heaven and earth plunge into joy and celebration on Pandora’s deliverance to the world. The top frieze of side A illustrates the instance when the gods have given their gifts but for [Athena](https://www.worldhistory.org/athena/), who brings forward the last wreath to adorn Pandora. She stands still like a marble statue in the middle, while [Poseidon](https://www.worldhistory.org/poseidon/), Zeus, and [Iris](https://www.worldhistory.org/Iris/) on the right and [Hera](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hera/) on the far left are looking on. Below, a group of young men dressed as satyrs dances to the [music](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Music/) of a flute-player. More dancing takes place on the back of the vase, where a second flute player is surrounded by six dancing [women](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/women/). (The British Museum, registration number 1856,1213.1)
## Bibliography
- [A New Pandora Vase](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-hellenic-studies/article/new-pandora-vase/CCD8FBEBA1DECE558D662581C80D0EFA "A New Pandora Vase"), accessed 9 Nov 2020.
## External Links
- [British Museum](https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1856-1213-1)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Museum, T. T. o. T. B. (2020, November 09). Pandora Vase. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Museum, The Trustees of The British. "Pandora Vase." *World History Encyclopedia*, November 09, 2020. .
### MLA
Museum, The Trustees of The British. "Pandora Vase." *World History Encyclopedia*, 09 Nov 2020, .
## License & Copyright
The British Museum has released this image under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International ([CC BY-NC-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)) license. You can read more about the British Museum and Creative Commons [here](https://www.britishmuseum.org/about_this_site/terms_of_use/copyright_and_permissions.aspx). [Original image](https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1856-1213-1) by [**The Trustees of The British Museum**](https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1856-1213-1). Submitted by [Nathalie Choubineh](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/nathalie.choubineh/ "User Page: Nathalie Choubineh"), published on 09 November 2020. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.