In Hesiod’s Pandora story, Hephaestus fashioned Pandora’s human form from earth and water.
Hephaestus is the divine smith of Greek mythology, associated with metalworking, fire, craft, and ingenious construction. In Works and Days, Zeus instructs him to shape Pandora, and the resulting figure is made to resemble a modest young woman. The creation is therefore an act of divine craftsmanship rather than a natural birth.
Other gods add distinct qualities after Hephaestus makes her body. Athena teaches or equips her with practical skills, Aphrodite contributes beauty and desire, and Hermes gives her a deceptive or persuasive character in Hesiod’s account. These contributions explain why Pandora is presented as both attractive and dangerous.
A common mix-up is to credit Athena with creating Pandora because Athena is involved in preparing her. Hesiod separates the roles: Hephaestus makes the physical form, while other gods supply attributes. The myth also differs from later retellings that treat Pandora as a goddess; in Hesiod, she is a created mortal woman presented as a divine gift.