Which god fashions Pandora from clay in Hesiod’s account?

Hephaestus fashions Pandora from clay in Hesiod’s account.

Hephaestus is the Greek god of fire, metalworking, and craftsmanship, making him the natural divine artisan for the task. In Works and Days, Zeus orders him to shape Pandora from earth. Other gods then give her qualities or gifts, completing the figure who will enter the human world.

This creation scene emphasizes that Pandora is a constructed, divine project rather than an ordinary mortal born through human parents. The gods collectively equip her with appearance, speech, skill, and other attributes. The story’s title-like name, Pandora, is often understood as referring to these many gifts.

Hephaestus is sometimes confused with Prometheus because both are associated with fire, but their roles differ. Prometheus steals fire for humanity, while Hephaestus is the divine maker who creates Pandora. In Roman mythology, Hephaestus’s counterpart is Vulcan, another common source of confusion in classical references.