Pandora was the woman created by the gods before the container was opened in Greek mythology.
The story appears most fully in Hesiod’s Works and Days. Zeus ordered the gods to create Pandora as part of his punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire. Different gods contributed gifts, including clothing, beauty, speech, and other abilities.
Pandora was sent to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus. Although Prometheus had warned him not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus welcomed her. Pandora later opened the container kept in their home, releasing the troubles that would affect human life.
Modern retellings often call the container a box, but Hesiod described a large storage jar. The woman’s name is linked to the idea that she received gifts from all the gods, making her name central to the story’s identity.