Pandora is traditionally described in Greek mythology as the first woman.
Hesiod presents Pandora as a divinely created woman sent to humanity after Zeus became angry with Prometheus. The gods give her distinctive gifts, which explains her name and her exceptional place in the story. She is not portrayed as a goddess herself, but as a mortal woman fashioned by divine powers.
The “first woman” description belongs to the mythic tradition rather than to a historical or scientific account of human origins. Pandora’s story also differs between ancient sources: Hesiod’s Works and Days gives the fullest account of her creation and the release of evils, while later retellings often simplify the narrative into the familiar “Pandora’s box” story.
A common mix-up is to treat Pandora as the container itself. In the ancient Greek account, Pandora is the person, while the container is a large storage jar, or pithos.