In Hesiod’s Pandora myth, Pandora is described as being made from clay.
In Works and Days, Zeus instructs Hephaestus to fashion Pandora from earth. The creation scene presents her as an artificial woman formed by a craftsman rather than born through ordinary human generation. The gods then contribute qualities, adornments, or skills that help explain her name and exceptional appearance.
This detail links Pandora to a broader ancient Mediterranean motif in which a deity or divine artisan shapes humanity from earth or clay. It also creates a contrast with Prometheus, whose role in Greek traditions is often associated with making or helping humans and bringing them fire.
The story varies across ancient sources and later retellings. Hesiod’s account is the earliest surviving literary version of Pandora’s creation, while later artists and writers add visual details that are not necessarily present in the poem.