Ceration is a chemical process, a common practice in alchemy. Pseudo-Geber's Summa Perfectionis tells us ceration is "the mollification of an hard thing, not fusible unto liquefaction" and stresses the importance of correct humidity in the process. [1] Ceration is performed by continuously adding a liquid by imbibition to a hard, dry substance while it is heated. This typically results in making the substance softer, becoming like molten wax. [2]
Pernety's 1787 Mytho-Hermetic dictionary defines it somewhat differently as the time when matter passes from black to gray and then to white. This is accomplished by continuous cooking. [3] Ceration may be synonymous with similar terms for alchemical burning processes. Incineration, for example is listed by Manly P. Hall.[4] (Also see Calcination.)