In the Greek myth of Pandora, Pandora’s body was formed from clay.
Hesiod’s account connects Pandora’s creation with earth or clay, a material that gives the story a crafted, almost sculptural image of the first woman. The divine maker shapes her before the gods add clothing, ornaments, skills, and other qualities. This combination of earthly material and divine contributions is central to the myth’s presentation of Pandora as a constructed being.
Clay also connects Pandora with broader ancient Mediterranean creation imagery. In several myths, gods or supernatural craftsmen shape humans from earth, suggesting that the material is both humble and symbolically powerful. Pandora’s clay origin does not mean she is a goddess; she is a specially created mortal woman.
Retellings sometimes depict her as being made from marble, metal, or light because later art and popular culture favor those materials. Those images are artistic adaptations, not the material specified in the traditional Greek account. The clay detail belongs to the earliest literary form of the story.