34:
1593:
184:
lists more than fifty synonyms for the prima materia in his 1612 alchemical dictionary. His text includes justifications for the names and comparisons. He repeats that, "the philosophers have so greatly admired the
Creature of God which is called the Primal Matter, especially concerning its efficacy
135:
to describe the role of prima materia in the fundamental theory of alchemy: "That there abides in nature a certain pure matter, which, being discovered and brought by art to perfection, converts to itself proportionally all imperfect bodies that it touches." Although descriptions of the prima materia
163:
They have compared the "prima materia" to everything, to male and female, to the hermaphroditic monster, to heaven and earth, to body and spirit, chaos, microcosm, and the confused mass; it contains in itself all colors and potentially all metals; there is nothing more wonderful in the world, for it
152:
states that all alchemical writers concealed its "true name". Since the prima materia has all the qualities and properties of elementary things, the names of all kinds of things were assigned to it. A similar account can be found in the
37:
Alchemical emblem depicting the omnipresence of the philosophical matter. "The Stone that is
Mercury, is cast upon the Earth, exalted on Mountains, resides in the Air, and is nourished in the Waters." (
185:
and mystery, that they have given to it many names, and almost every possible description, for they have not known how to sufficiently praise it." Waite lists an additional eighty four names.
755:
1365:
1142:
1177:
559:
508:
1196:
1149:
1573:
1379:
609:
1622:
1514:
1163:
1129:
1617:
975:
1564:
1559:
1446:
1100:
1045:
1418:
1404:
1297:
1283:
1221:
85:
1276:
1269:
1040:
934:
864:
181:
127:
on the foundations of Greek philosophy, it included the concept of prima materia as a central tenet.
1397:
735:
641:
88:. Esoteric alchemists describe the prima materia using simile, and compare it to concepts like the
20:
1342:
1000:
740:
651:
1534:
854:
132:
124:
77:
1519:
1255:
1156:
1005:
889:
602:
73:
33:
788:
686:
681:
8:
1529:
1425:
1372:
1334:
1290:
1020:
671:
149:
136:
have changed throughout history, the concept has remained central to alchemical thought.
1071:
1432:
1358:
626:
454:
1569:
1494:
1439:
1183:
1123:
1030:
980:
894:
869:
656:
177:
155:
81:
1596:
1248:
1215:
1116:
1086:
960:
950:
929:
813:
808:
763:
704:
595:
535:
484:
446:
128:
1577:
1322:
1303:
1076:
1050:
955:
909:
874:
849:
773:
696:
666:
579:
563:
512:
393:
556:
505:
1509:
1499:
1351:
1202:
965:
995:
425:
1611:
1453:
1316:
1066:
1015:
879:
798:
417:
388:
38:
190:
Names assigned to the Prima
Materia in Ruland's 1612 alchemical dictionary,
1234:
1035:
990:
985:
970:
914:
899:
859:
66:
1489:
1411:
1262:
1241:
924:
919:
884:
714:
89:
27:
1504:
1170:
1081:
1025:
833:
828:
818:
719:
458:
113:
105:
525:
The
Alchemy of Discourse: Image, Sound and Psyche. Daimon, 2002. p.112
1524:
904:
803:
793:
778:
768:
661:
117:
101:
587:
450:
1554:
1010:
823:
783:
745:
398:
104:. The earliest roots of the idea can be found in the philosophy of
1479:
1474:
709:
676:
618:
173:
145:
70:
50:
19:
This article is about a concept in alchemy. For other uses, see
1549:
646:
437:
King, Hugh R. (June 1956). "Aristotle without Prima
Materia".
1544:
1484:
383:
80:. It is the primitive formless base of all matter similar to
169:
164:
begets itself, conceives itself, and gives birth to itself.
109:
100:
The concept of prima materia is sometimes attributed to
69:), is the ubiquitous starting material required for the
148:
to describe the universal nature of the prima materia.
553:Lexicon alchemiae sive dictionarium alchemistarum.
502:Lexicon alchemiae sive dictionarium alchemistarum.
192:Lexicon alchemiae sive dictionarium alchemistarum
1609:
1366:Suspicions about the Hidden Realities of the Air
445:(3). University of Pennsylvania Press: 370–389.
1143:Book of the Silvery Water and the Starry Earth
580:https://books.google.com/books?id=NWJAAAAAcAAJ
424:. 1617. Emblem 36. Translation Peter Branwin.
603:
557:http://www.rexresearch.com/rulandus/rulxm.htm
506:http://www.rexresearch.com/rulandus/rulxm.htm
500:Arthur Edward Waite. Notes in Martin Ruland.
774:pseudo-Apollonius of Tyana (Balīnūs/Balīnās)
426:http://www.levity.com/alchemy/atl35-40.html
45:. 1617.) The cubes represent prima materia.
890:John of Rupescissa (Jean de Roquetaillade)
610:
596:
540:A Suggestive Inquiry into Hermetic Mystery
489:A Suggestive Inquiry into Hermetic Mystery
65:(for a philosophical exposition refer to:
1178:Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz
475:Princeton University Press. 1953. p.325.
32:
1610:
966:George Starkey (Eirenaeus Philalethes)
555:1612. Retrieved March 19th, 2013 from
504:1612. Retrieved March 19th, 2013 from
26:For the jazz group Prima Materia, see
1046:Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes)
617:
591:
436:
1197:De consideratione quintae essentiae
341:The Soul and Heaven of the Elements
13:
14:
1634:
1592:
1591:
1164:Buch der heiligen Dreifaltigkeit
1131:Liber de compositione alchemiae
855:(pseudo-)Arnaldus de Villa Nova
814:pseudo-Khālid ibn Yazīd (Calid)
662:Hermes Trismegistus (legendary)
439:Journal of the History of Ideas
1380:Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine
568:
545:
529:
517:
494:
478:
465:
430:
411:
263:Pure and Uncontaminated Virgin
168:Comparisons have been made to
1:
1447:Theatrum chemicum Britannicum
404:
139:
7:
1419:Deutsches Theatrum Chemicum
1405:Bibliotheca chemica curiosa
377:
254:Salt of Nitre and Saltpetre
10:
1639:
1298:Rosary of the Philosophers
1284:Papyrus Graecus Holmiensis
1223:Liber Hermetis de alchemia
347:Tartar of the Philosophers
266:Milk of Virgin, or the Fig
260:Bride, Spouse, Mother, Eve
245:Stella Signata and Lucifer
123:When alchemy developed in
95:
25:
18:
1587:
1467:
1389:
1108:
1099:
1059:
961:pseudo-Bernard of Treviso
943:
842:
794:Ibn Umayl (Senior Zadith)
764:Abū Bakr al-Rāzī (Rhazes)
754:
728:
695:
634:
625:
182:Martin Ruland the Younger
131:uses words attributed to
809:Jābir ibn Ḥayyān (Geber)
642:Agathodaemon (legendary)
144:Alchemical authors used
76:and the creation of the
21:Materia (disambiguation)
1623:Mythological substances
1001:Jan Baptist van Helmont
741:Stephanus of Alexandria
473:Psychology and Alchemy.
344:The Matter of all Forms
251:Fiery and Burning Water
203:The Philosophical Stone
834:al-Zahrāwī (Abulcasis)
375:
308:Marble, Crystal, Glass
166:
133:Arnaldus de Villa Nova
112:in relation to chaos.
84:, the quintessence or
46:
1618:Alchemical substances
1270:Nabataean Agriculture
1157:Books of the Balances
1006:Johann Rudolf Glauber
976:Giovanni da Correggio
371:Angel of violet light
187:
161:
36:
16:First or prime matter
1515:In art/entertainment
925:(pseudo-)Roger Bacon
687:Zosimos of Panopolis
682:Paphnutia the Virgin
108:, who described the
1535:Philosophers' stone
1530:Pill of Immortality
1426:Fasciculus chemicus
1373:Turba philosophorum
1291:Physika kai mystika
1021:Michael Sendivogius
900:pseudo-Michael Scot
736:pseudo-Olympiodorus
677:Ostanes (legendary)
296:Spittle of the Moon
172:, the primal fire,
150:Arthur Edward Waite
78:philosopher's stone
1433:Musaeum Hermeticum
1359:Summa perfectionis
1338:(pseudo-Aristotle)
1328:Secret of Creation
1277:Ordinal of Alchemy
920:pseudo-Ramon Llull
824:Maslama al-Qurṭubī
576:Lexicon Alchemiae.
562:2018-04-02 at the
511:2018-04-02 at the
120:is also relevant.
47:
1605:
1604:
1463:
1462:
1440:Theatrum chemicum
1256:Mirror of Alchimy
1208:Tabula Smaragdina
1185:Clavis sapientiae
1124:Aurora consurgens
1095:
1094:
1031:Pierre-Jean Fabre
981:Heinrich Khunrath
895:Magister Salernus
870:Guido di Montanor
657:pseudo-Democritus
619:Alchemy (general)
293:Sulphur of Nature
275:A Spiritual Blood
156:Theatrum Chemicum
125:Greco-Roman Egypt
1630:
1595:
1594:
1309:Step of the Sage
1249:Mappae clavicula
1216:Leyden papyrus X
1117:Atalanta fugiens
1106:
1105:
1087:Mary Anne Atwood
1072:Eugène Canseliet
951:Andreas Libavius
930:Taddeo Alderotti
705:Fang (alchemist)
652:pseudo-Cleopatra
632:
631:
612:
605:
598:
589:
588:
582:
572:
566:
549:
543:
536:Mary Anne Atwood
533:
527:
521:
515:
498:
492:
485:Mary Anne Atwood
482:
476:
469:
463:
462:
434:
428:
422:Atalanta Fugiens
415:
359:Heart of the Sun
350:Dissolved Refuse
129:Mary Anne Atwood
53:and philosophy,
43:Atalanta Fugiens
1638:
1637:
1633:
1632:
1631:
1629:
1628:
1627:
1608:
1607:
1606:
1601:
1583:
1578:Suns in alchemy
1459:
1385:
1324:Sirr al-khalīqa
1305:Rutbat al-ḥakīm
1189:Miftāḥ al-ḥikma
1091:
1077:Frater Albertus
1055:
1051:Wilhelm Homberg
956:Basil Valentine
939:
910:Paul of Taranto
875:Hugh of Evesham
850:pseudo-Albertus
838:
784:pseudo-Avicenna
750:
724:
697:Ancient Chinese
691:
667:Mary the Jewess
621:
616:
586:
585:
574:Martin Ruland.
573:
569:
564:Wayback Machine
551:Martin Ruland.
550:
546:
534:
530:
522:
518:
513:Wayback Machine
499:
495:
483:
479:
470:
466:
451:10.2307/2707550
435:
431:
416:
412:
407:
394:Theory of Forms
380:
374:
335:Metallic Entity
248:Permanent Water
206:The Eagle Stone
142:
98:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1636:
1626:
1625:
1620:
1603:
1602:
1600:
1599:
1588:
1585:
1584:
1582:
1581:
1567:
1562:
1557:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1537:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1510:Iatrochemistry
1507:
1502:
1500:Elixir of life
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1471:
1469:
1465:
1464:
1461:
1460:
1458:
1457:
1450:
1443:
1436:
1429:
1422:
1415:
1408:
1401:
1393:
1391:
1387:
1386:
1384:
1383:
1376:
1369:
1362:
1355:
1352:Splendor solis
1348:
1340:
1332:
1320:
1313:
1301:
1294:
1287:
1280:
1273:
1266:
1259:
1252:
1245:
1238:
1231:
1219:
1212:
1204:Emerald Tablet
1200:
1193:
1181:
1174:
1167:
1160:
1153:
1146:
1139:
1127:
1120:
1112:
1110:
1103:
1097:
1096:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1063:
1061:
1057:
1056:
1054:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
947:
945:
941:
940:
938:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
846:
844:
840:
839:
837:
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
789:Ibn Arfaʿ Raʾs
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
760:
758:
756:Arabic-Islamic
752:
751:
749:
748:
743:
738:
732:
730:
726:
725:
723:
722:
717:
712:
707:
701:
699:
693:
692:
690:
689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
659:
654:
649:
644:
638:
636:
635:Greco-Egyptian
629:
623:
622:
615:
614:
607:
600:
592:
584:
583:
567:
544:
528:
516:
493:
477:
464:
429:
409:
408:
406:
403:
402:
401:
396:
391:
386:
379:
376:
373:
372:
369:
366:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
348:
345:
342:
339:
336:
333:
330:
327:
326:White Moisture
324:
321:
318:
315:
312:
309:
306:
303:
300:
297:
294:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
276:
273:
270:
267:
264:
261:
258:
255:
252:
249:
246:
243:
240:
237:
234:
231:
228:
225:
222:
219:
216:
213:
210:
207:
204:
201:
197:
141:
138:
97:
94:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1635:
1624:
1621:
1619:
1616:
1615:
1613:
1598:
1590:
1589:
1586:
1579:
1575:
1571:
1568:
1566:
1563:
1561:
1558:
1556:
1553:
1551:
1548:
1546:
1543:
1541:
1540:Prima materia
1538:
1536:
1533:
1531:
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1472:
1470:
1466:
1456:
1455:
1454:Tripus aureus
1451:
1449:
1448:
1444:
1442:
1441:
1437:
1435:
1434:
1430:
1428:
1427:
1423:
1421:
1420:
1416:
1414:
1413:
1409:
1407:
1406:
1402:
1400:
1399:
1398:Aureum vellus
1395:
1394:
1392:
1388:
1382:
1381:
1377:
1375:
1374:
1370:
1368:
1367:
1363:
1361:
1360:
1356:
1354:
1353:
1349:
1347:
1345:
1344:Sirr al-asrār
1341:
1339:
1337:
1336:Sirr al-asrār
1333:
1331:
1329:
1325:
1321:
1319:
1318:
1317:Seventy Books
1314:
1312:
1310:
1306:
1302:
1300:
1299:
1295:
1293:
1292:
1288:
1286:
1285:
1281:
1279:
1278:
1274:
1272:
1271:
1267:
1265:
1264:
1260:
1258:
1257:
1253:
1251:
1250:
1246:
1244:
1243:
1239:
1237:
1236:
1232:
1230:
1228:
1227:Liber dabessi
1224:
1220:
1218:
1217:
1213:
1211:
1209:
1205:
1201:
1199:
1198:
1194:
1192:
1190:
1186:
1182:
1180:
1179:
1175:
1173:
1172:
1168:
1166:
1165:
1161:
1159:
1158:
1154:
1152:
1151:
1150:Book of Mercy
1147:
1145:
1144:
1140:
1138:
1136:
1132:
1128:
1126:
1125:
1121:
1119:
1118:
1114:
1113:
1111:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1098:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1058:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1041:Samuel Norton
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1016:Michael Maier
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
948:
946:
942:
936:
935:Thomas Norton
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
880:Johann of Laz
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
865:George Ripley
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
847:
845:
843:Late medieval
841:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
799:Ibn Waḥshiyya
797:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
761:
759:
757:
753:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
733:
731:
727:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
702:
700:
698:
694:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
653:
650:
648:
645:
643:
640:
639:
637:
633:
630:
628:
624:
620:
613:
608:
606:
601:
599:
594:
593:
590:
581:
577:
571:
565:
561:
558:
554:
548:
541:
537:
532:
526:
523:Paul Kugler.
520:
514:
510:
507:
503:
497:
491:. 1918. p. 72
490:
486:
481:
474:
468:
460:
456:
452:
448:
444:
440:
433:
427:
423:
419:
418:Michael Maier
414:
410:
400:
397:
395:
392:
390:
389:Individuation
387:
385:
382:
381:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
343:
340:
337:
334:
331:
328:
325:
323:White Ethesia
322:
319:
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:
301:
298:
295:
292:
289:
286:
283:
280:
277:
274:
271:
268:
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
250:
247:
244:
241:
238:
235:
233:Nebula or Fog
232:
229:
226:
223:
220:
217:
214:
211:
209:Water of Life
208:
205:
202:
199:
198:
196:
195:
193:
186:
183:
179:
176:, Light, and
175:
171:
165:
160:
158:
157:
151:
147:
137:
134:
130:
126:
121:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
93:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
72:
68:
64:
60:
59:materia prima
56:
55:prima materia
52:
44:
40:
39:Michael Maier
35:
29:
22:
1597:All articles
1539:
1452:
1445:
1438:
1431:
1424:
1417:
1410:
1403:
1396:
1390:Compilations
1378:
1371:
1364:
1357:
1350:
1343:
1335:
1327:
1323:
1315:
1308:
1304:
1296:
1289:
1282:
1275:
1268:
1261:
1254:
1247:
1240:
1235:Liber ignium
1233:
1226:
1222:
1214:
1207:
1203:
1195:
1188:
1184:
1176:
1169:
1162:
1155:
1148:
1141:
1134:
1130:
1122:
1115:
1036:Robert Boyle
991:Isaac Newton
986:Hennig Brand
971:Gerhard Dorn
944:Early modern
915:Petrus Bonus
860:pseudo-Geber
672:pseudo-Moses
575:
570:
552:
547:
539:
531:
524:
519:
501:
496:
488:
480:
472:
467:
442:
438:
432:
421:
413:
311:Scottish Gem
269:Boiling Milk
191:
189:
188:
167:
162:
154:
143:
122:
99:
67:Prime Matter
63:first matter
62:
58:
54:
48:
42:
1520:Magnum opus
1490:Chrysopoeia
1412:De alchemia
1263:Mutus liber
1242:Liber lucis
1109:Major Works
996:Jakob Böhme
885:John Dastin
829:al-Ṭughrāʾī
715:Master Geng
471:Carl Jung.
356:Indian Gold
353:The Rainbow
329:White Smoke
302:The Serpent
200:Microcosmos
90:anima mundi
74:magnum opus
28:Rashied Ali
1612:Categories
1565:Substances
1505:Homunculus
1171:Cantong Qi
1082:Fulcanelli
1026:Paracelsus
819:al-Jildakī
720:Wei Boyang
627:Alchemists
405:References
305:The Dragon
140:Properties
114:Empedocles
106:Anaxagoras
71:alchemical
1560:Processes
1525:Ouroboros
1346:(al-Rāzī)
1067:Carl Jung
905:Ortolanus
804:al-ʿIrāqī
779:Artephius
769:Alphidius
729:Byzantine
118:cosmogony
102:Aristotle
1555:Yliaster
1135:Morienus
1101:Writings
1011:John Dee
746:Synesius
560:Archived
509:Archived
399:Yliaster
378:See also
317:Magnesia
224:Medicine
1574:Unicode
1570:Symbols
1495:Element
1480:Athanor
1475:Alembic
1468:Various
710:Ge Hong
542:. 1918.
459:2707550
338:Mercury
284:Vinegar
281:A Syrup
218:Chamber
178:Mercury
174:Proteus
146:similes
96:History
51:alchemy
1550:Takwin
1060:Modern
647:Chymes
578:1661.
457:
368:Healer
320:Magnet
230:Clouds
227:Heaven
221:Spirit
215:Poison
86:aether
1545:Rebis
1485:Azoth
455:JSTOR
384:Arche
365:Venus
362:Chaos
314:Urine
272:Honey
239:Shade
212:Venom
82:chaos
332:Dung
287:Lead
278:Bath
242:Moon
170:Hyle
110:nous
538:.
447:doi
299:Ore
290:Tin
257:Lye
236:Dew
61:or
49:In
41:'s
1614::
1576:,
487:.
453:.
443:17
441:.
420:.
180:.
159::
116:'
92:.
57:,
1580:)
1572:(
1330:)
1326:(
1311:)
1307:(
1229:)
1225:(
1210:)
1206:(
1191:)
1187:(
1137:)
1133:(
611:e
604:t
597:v
461:.
449::
194:.
30:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.