In Hesiod’s Pandora story, Hephaestus created Pandora’s physical form from clay.
In Works and Days, Zeus commands Hephaestus to make a woman as part of his punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire. Hephaestus is the Greek god associated with fire, metalworking, smiths, and craftsmanship, making him the myth’s natural artisan.
The story describes the woman being shaped from earth or clay and then endowed with qualities by other Olympian gods. This division of roles matters: Hephaestus makes her body, but he is not the only divine figure involved in her creation or presentation.
Later retellings often compress the episode into the statement that the gods created Pandora. That is broadly true, but Hephaestus is the specific creator of her physical form in Hesiod’s account. The myth therefore combines a crafted body with separately bestowed gifts, abilities, and traits.