In
alchemy,
Prima materia,
materia prima or
first matter, is the ubiquitous starting material required for the
alchemical magnum opus and the creation of the
philosopher's stone. It is the primitive formless base of all matter similar to
chaos, the quintessence, or
aether. Esoteric alchemists describe the prima materia using simile, and compare it to concepts like the
anima mundi.