Smaug

As I understand it, the big bang is what brought matter into existence. In other words, asking where the matter was before the big bang is like asking what the ice is like 1 kilometre south of the South Pole - it doesn't exist.

However, the latest theories about the origin of the universe (M theory I think it is) talk about membranes in higher dimensions colliding which bring about the creation of our universe. If that's the case, our universe may be but one of many existing inside some sort of ultra-cosmos, the nature of which is even more unusual. But please don't ask me for any more detail than that - I'm making my own eyes water just thinking about it!