In Greek mythology, which god fashions Pandora from clay?

In Greek mythology, Hephaestus fashions Pandora from clay at Zeus’s command.

Hephaestus is the Olympian god of fire, metalworking, craft and smithing. His role makes him the natural divine artisan for creating the woman who will become Pandora. Hesiod’s account describes Zeus directing the work, with Hephaestus shaping the figure from earth and giving her a human form.

Other gods then contribute gifts or qualities. Athena provides instruction in handiwork, while Hermes gives Pandora a deceptive nature and speech in Hesiod’s account. These details explain the name Pandora, traditionally understood as “all-gifted.”

Popular illustrations often show Pandora as a fully formed adult appearing by magic, which can obscure Hephaestus’s craftsmanship. The myth instead presents her creation as a deliberate divine manufacturing process, parallel to the making of a remarkable object by an expert artisan.