In Hesiod’s myth, Pandora was created from clay.
The creation scene in Works and Days describes Zeus ordering Hephaestus to fashion Pandora from earth, or clay, giving her the outward form of a woman. The gods then add qualities and gifts, including clothing, adornment, and abilities. This makes Pandora a constructed figure whose body and attributes result from divine craftsmanship.
The detail links Pandora with a broader ancient Mediterranean tradition in which humans are shaped from earth. In Greek mythology, the craftsman god Hephaestus is especially associated with metalworking and making animated or divine objects, so his role in forming Pandora fits his mythic expertise.
Modern retellings sometimes say that Pandora was “made by all the gods,” but Hesiod’s wording distinguishes the maker from the other divine contributors. The gods supply separate gifts, while Hephaestus performs the physical shaping. Pandora’s clay origin is therefore a specific detail of the creation episode, not a general statement that every god molded her personally.