In
Greek Mythology,
Pandora and her Box were actually made by
Zeus to punish mankind.
Prometheus stole the heavenly fire from Zeus, and gave it to man, and this angered the god.
Zeus created Pandora ("all-gifted") with the help of the other gods at Mount Olympus. She was an incredibly attractive creature, endowed with many charms. Zeus offered her as a gift to Prometheus, but he wisely rejected her, expecting a trap from the king of gods. Prometheus' brother, Epimetheus, could not believe such a beutiful creature could be evil, so he took her in under his wing.
Pandora is then given a box by Zeus, which she opens in spite of being told not to. In the box, Zeus has placed all diseases, sorrows, crimes and misery that would inflict humanity once the box was opened. The only good thing was Hope lying in the bottom, which even Zeus had not managed to remove.
The story is very much like the Christian creation myth. After man has received the heavenly fire, he lives a wonderful, worryless life (Paradise). He is given a beautiful woman by the god. The woman yields to temptation, doing what she is told not to. This causes all the pain in the world.