cerecloth

wrapping

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

Cerecloth is a fabric that has been treated with melted wax or a gummy substance. Historically, it was used for wrapping dead bodies. The term "cerecloth" is an alteration of "cered cloth," meaning waxed cloth, and has been in use since the 15th century.1

A related term, "cerement," also refers to a shroud for the dead and is often used in the plural. "Cerement" is specifically noted as being, or being especially, cerecloth.2

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embalming
History
Instead, cerecloths, strips of fabric impregnated with wax and wrapped snugly around the body to exclude air, were used. This method of preservation was so prevalent that cerement became a synonym for grave clothes. The great interest in anatomy and surgery during the Renaissance stimulated experiments…
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Instead, cerecloths, strips of fabric impregnated with wax and wrapped snugly around the body to exclude air, were used. This method of preservation was so prevalent that cerement became a synonym for grave clothes. The great interest in anatomy and surgery during the Renaissance stimulated experiments…
Read More