In Greek mythology, the woman created by the gods before opening Pandora’s container was Pandora. Hesiod presents her as the first woman in the Greek mythic tradition.
Her creation follows Zeus’s punishment of humanity after Prometheus gave people fire. The gods equip Pandora with different gifts: Hephaestus shapes her from earth, while other gods provide qualities such as beauty, speech, skill, and curiosity. Her name is commonly explained as meaning “all-gifted” or “gifted by all.”
Pandora is sent to Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother. Although Prometheus warns him not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus takes Pandora as his wife. The container associated with her is then opened, allowing evils to escape into the world.
The story has been interpreted as an etiological myth explaining why human life includes suffering and hardship. Modern retellings often focus on curiosity, but Hesiod’s account also reflects ancient Greek ideas about gender, work, marriage, and divine punishment.