In Greek mythology, Pandora was traditionally described as the first woman among humans.
Hesiod presents Pandora as a divinely created woman fashioned after Zeus’s decision to punish humanity. The gods equip or adorn her with various qualities, and her name is commonly interpreted as “all-gifted” or “all-giving,” reflecting the gifts associated with her creation.
This description belongs to the mythic framework of archaic Greek poetry and should not be treated as a historical claim about human origins. Later writers and artists gave Pandora different personalities, motivations, and visual appearances, but the earliest surviving literary tradition identifies her as the first woman.
Pandora’s role is also distinct from that of a goddess. Although the gods create and endow her, she is generally represented as a mortal woman who enters the human world through Zeus’s plan. That distinction helps separate her from figures such as Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite.