In Hesiod’s Greek myth, Hephaestus made Pandora’s physical form from earth.
Hephaestus was the Olympian god associated with smithing, metalwork, fire, and craftsmanship. In Works and Days, Zeus commands him to shape a woman from earth as part of the punishment for Prometheus’s theft of fire. The creation is presented as a crafted divine work rather than a natural birth.
Other gods then contribute qualities and adornments. Athena gives Pandora clothing and instruction in crafts in common summaries of the myth, while Hermes gives her persuasive speech and a deceptive nature. The exact details vary between ancient passages and later retellings.
Hephaestus is sometimes confused with Prometheus because both figures are connected with fire and human creation in popular culture. In Hesiod’s account, however, Prometheus is the fire-bringer, while Hephaestus is the craftsman who forms Pandora.