In Pandora’s creation story, Hephaestus molded her from clay.
Hesiod describes Zeus ordering Hephaestus, the divine smith, to form Pandora in the shape of a modest young woman. The material is earth or clay, linking her physically to the ground and to the broader ancient Greek tradition of humans being fashioned from earth.
After Hephaestus forms her, the other gods add their contributions. Athena gives her clothing and craft, while other deities provide ornaments, charm, speech, or deceptive qualities. Pandora therefore becomes a collaborative divine creation, with Hephaestus responsible for the initial shaping.
Later retellings often call the container a box, but the earliest surviving Greek version describes a large storage jar. The clay used to create Pandora and the jar in which the troubles are kept are separate parts of the story.