"the first matter of the stone is the very same with the first matter of all things." - Thomas Vaughan
According to Plato, the four elements are derived from a common source or prima materia (first matter), associated with chaos. Prima materia is also the name alchemists assign to the starting ingredient for the creation of the philosopher's stone.
The raw material out of everything is made
The primary, primordial material
Is Prima Materia pure consciousness?
Prima Materia, Quinta Essentia
"This is the Lapis that creates a Quintessence from animals, plants, or minerals. It is the source of all things, as the sages say: "In the beginning, everything was one." The ancients said that the Lapis comes from Chaos, where all things lay hidden until fire ordered and shaped them. Thus, the Lapis gains its true life through the power of the sun, for light grants it perfection. In this stone lies everything: the four elements and their transformation. The philosophers state that the Quinta Essentia is the ultimate goal of all art. For it unites the material with the spiritual and grants life. The Lapis itself manifests as something fluid and solid. Born of the union of opposites, it embodies harmony. Its transformative power is drawn from fire and the heavens. Its origin lies in Chaos, where all things were one. It is said that the Lapis is the bridge between the earthly and the divine. Connecting matter with the purest essence of spirit. In it, all natural properties are united: The powers of creation and destruction, growth and decay. The sages state that its essence is the secret of true transformation. A symbol of rebirth and the eternal cycle. Thus, the Lapis holds the key to the Philosopher's Stone. The source of wisdom and the path to enlightenment. The ancients and later scholars confirm: The Quintessence is in everything, from the elements to the spirit of life." — Sammelhandschrift mit alchemistischen Texten, Mscr.Dresd.J.345 https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkansicht/dlf/179487/773