In Greek mythology, Pandora was created as the first woman before receiving the famous container from Zeus.
Hesiod tells Pandora’s creation in both the Theogony and Works and Days. The gods gave her different qualities, including beauty, persuasion, and craftsmanship, before sending her to humanity. Her name is commonly explained from Greek elements meaning “all-gifted” or “all-giving.”
Pandora’s story is closely linked with Prometheus and Epimetheus. Prometheus had stolen fire for humans, so Zeus arranged Pandora’s arrival as part of a punishment. The familiar phrase “Pandora’s box” is later wording: early Greek accounts describe a jar or storage vessel, not a box.
Modern retellings often present Pandora as simply curious or blameworthy, but Hesiod’s account also reflects ancient Greek explanations of suffering, work, and the place of women in society.