Three Primes

According to Paracelsus (1493–1541), the three primes or tria prima – of which material substances are immediately composed – are:^[2]

• Sulfur or soul, the principle of combustibility: 🜍 ([](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sulphur_symbol_%28fixed_width%29.svg))
• Mercury or spirit, the principle of fusibility and volatility: ☿ ([](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mercury_symbol_%28fixed_width%29.svg))
• Salt or body, the principle of non-combustibility and non-volatility: 🜔 ([](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Salt_symbol_%28alchemical%29.svg))

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