The Pithos: A Demonic Stele of Power and Control in Chain of Iron

What Is the Pithos?

In Cassandra Clare’s Chain of Iron, the pithos is a demonic artifact that resembles a Shadowhunter stele. Christopher Lightwood names it after the Greek word for a storage container, because it can hold stolen permanent runes. Unlike an angelic stele, which draws power from the Gray Book and adamas, the pithos is made from demonically-aligned materials. Its runes mimic the appearance of angelic scripts but are twisted into a “demonic demotic” as Magnus Bane explains when he examines it in Chapter 19. The pithos can transfer permanent runes from one Shadowhunter to another—or store them for later use. It is the key tool used in the serial murders that terrorize the London Enclave.

Where Does the Pithos Recur?

The object first appears in Chapter 18 when Thomas Lightwood retrieves it from the body of Lilian Highsmith in Golden Square. Christopher gives it the name “pithos” and notes that it bears a dawn rune matching the murder timing. In Chapter 19, Magnus Bane identifies it as demonic and shows that it can transform from a box into a stele-like shape. The group learns that the runes stolen from victims—such as Filomena di Angelo’s Strength rune and Lilian Highsmith’s Precision rune—have been spiritually removed, not cut away, which the pithos enables.

In Chapter 21, Grace Blackthorn breaks into the Consul’s laboratory and discovers the pithos’s function alongside Christopher: it can transfer runes between Shadowhunters. Later in that chapter, Christopher gives the pithos to Matthew Fairchild, who passes it to James. By Chapter 24, James realizes the pithos has been stolen by an Eidolon demon disguised as Matthew, and that Belial now possesses it. The pithos is used in the climactic murder attempt on Charles Fairchild and to complete the Leviathan sigil.

How Its Meaning Changes

Initially, the pithos is a mystery object—a strange container found at a crime scene. Christopher treats it as a puzzle; the Merry Thieves see it as potential evidence. When Magnus reveals its demonic nature, the pithos shifts from a curiosity to a weapon of terror. Its ability to steal the very essence of a Shadowhunter—their permanent runes—transforms it into a symbol of identity theft and spiritual violation.

As the murders progress, the pithos becomes a tool of power and control. Belial uses it to harvest runes in order to strengthen the anchor in Jesse Blackthorn’s soul and to summon the sea demon Leviathan. By the end of the novel, the pithos is less an object of investigation and more a focal point for the faction’s race against time. Its meaning expands from a literal artifact to a representation of the demonic conspiracy behind the killings.

Character Connections

James Herondale

James is indirectly linked to the pithos because his connection to Belial allows him to witness the murders in visions. He carries the pithos briefly after Matthew gives it to him, and later deduces that Belial stole it to use in the final attack. James’s struggle with his demon blood makes the pithos a dark mirror of his own potential for corruption.

Cordelia Carstairs

Cordelia’s role as a paladin of Wayland the Smith places her in opposition to the pithos. Her sword Cortana is an angelic weapon that can wound Belial, while the pithos is a demonic tool. Her oath of fealty in Chapter 14 positions her as a force of light against the artifact’s darkness.

Christopher Lightwood

Christopher is the one who names the pithos and studies it with scientific curiosity. His rational approach contrasts with the artifact’s supernatural origin. He works with Grace in Chapter 21 to understand its function, showing his dedication to knowledge even in a crisis.

Grace Blackthorn

Grace actively participates in unlocking the pithos’s secrets. In Chapter 21, she breaks into the lab to discover its rune-transferring ability. Her involvement ties her to Tatiana’s and Belial’s schemes, though she later helps Lucie attempt to stop Jesse’s possession.

Belial and Lilith

Belial is the ultimate wielder of the pithos, using it to power his plan. Lilith, revealed as the puppet master behind Wayland the Smith, has her own designs on the artifact. The pithos embodies the demonic struggle for influence over the Shadowhunters.

Theme Connections

The pithos is deeply tied to the theme of Power and Control . It allows the killer to literally take power from victims by stealing their runes. Control over the pithos gives Belial leverage over the physical world.

Secrecy and Deception also revolve around the pithos. It is hidden at crime scenes, disguised as a simple adamas box, and its true nature is unknown even to the Enclave. The deception of the Eidolon demon stealing the pithos further illustrates how secrets multiply.

The theft of permanent runes connects to Identity and Self-Worth . Runes are part of a Shadowhunter’s identity, marking their skills and achievements. Removing them without scar or trace erases part of who they are, as seen when Cordelia notices her father’s missing Voyance rune. This violation forces characters to question what makes them who they are.

Finally, Sacrifice and Redemption appear through the lengths characters go to stop the murders. James risks his soul to confront Belial; Cordelia swears fealty to Wayland to gain power; Lucie pursues necromancy to save Jesse. The pithos is a tool of destruction, but the sacrifices made to counteract it highlight the characters’ moral choices.

Study Questions

1. Why does the pithos specifically target permanent runes rather than temporary ones?

Answer: Permanent runes are intrinsic to a Shadowhunter’s identity and power, engraved into their skin at birth or at significant milestones. Stealing them through the pithos not only weakens the victim but also transfers that permanent power to the killer. In the context of Belial’s plan, the runes are used to empower the anchor in Jesse’s soul, making the permanence essential for the Leviathan sigil. Temporary runes would not hold the same metaphysical weight.

2. How does the pithos reflect the conflict between angelic and demonic magic in the novel?

Answer: The pithos is a direct inversion of the angelic stele. While a stele draws on adamas and the Gray Book to create angelic runes, the pithos uses demonically-aligned materials and script. Magnus Bane emphasizes that tools have an “alliance” – angelic or demonic. The pithos demonstrates that demons can corrupt Nephilim tools, mirroring the broader theme of Belial’s attempt to pervert the Shadowhunter world from within.

3. In what ways does Christopher Lightwood’s naming of the object (“pithos”) foreshadow its narrative role?

Answer: “Pithos” means a storage jar in Greek, and Christopher chooses the name because the object looks like a container. This foreshadows its actual function: storing stolen runes. Moreover, the most famous pithos in mythology is Pandora’s jar, which when opened released evils into the world. Similarly, the pithos in Chain of Iron unlocks a chain of murders and eventually summons Leviathan, a sea demon – linking the artifact to mythic disaster.

4. How does the pithos connect to the theme of love and illusion, especially regarding Cordelia and James’s relationship?

Answer: The pithos is a tool of deception – it is used by Belial to manipulate events and by Grace to help her mother’s schemes. In parallel, James and Cordelia’s relationship is built on appearances: a sham marriage, hidden feelings, and James’s bracelet-induced obedience to Grace. The pithos, like their marriage, is a false version of a genuine thing (a stele vs. a true relationship). Its demonic nature echoes the illusory bonds that separate them until the bracelet breaks in Chapter 22, when truth and love begin to pierce the deception.