Hephaestus fashions Pandora’s body from clay in the Greek myth of Pandora’s Box.
Hesiod describes Zeus ordering Hephaestus, the divine smith, to shape Pandora from earth. Other gods then contribute qualities or gifts, making her a carefully constructed figure rather than a naturally born human. This creation follows Prometheus’s theft of fire and forms part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity.
Hephaestus is especially appropriate for the task because he is the Olympian god of fire, metalworking, smiths, and craftsmanship. Greek myths repeatedly portray him making extraordinary objects and beings for the gods, including armor, weapons, and automata.
A common mix-up is to credit Athena with creating Pandora because Athena teaches her crafts in Hesiod’s story. Athena contributes instruction, not the clay body itself. The myth’s division of labor emphasizes that Pandora is assembled through several divine contributions.