diff --git a/Serializer.cpp b/Serializer.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39775144fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Serializer.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+#include "Serializer.h"
+#include "key.h"
+#include <assert.h>
+#include <openssl/ripemd.h>
+#include <openssl/sha.h>
+
+int Serializer::add32(uint32 i)
+{
+	int ret=mData.size();
+	for(int j=0; j<sizeof(i); j++)
+	{
+		mData.push_back((unsigned char) (i&0xff));
+		i>>=8;
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int Serializer::add64(uint64 i)
+{
+	int ret=mData.size();
+	for(int j=0; j<sizeof(i); j++)
+	{
+		mData.push_back((unsigned char) (i&0xff));
+		i>>=8;
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int Serializer::add160(const uint160& i)
+{
+	int ret=mData.size();
+	mData.insert(mData.end(), i.begin(), i.end());
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int Serializer::add256(const uint256& i)
+{
+	int ret=mData.size();
+	mData.insert(mData.end(), i.begin(), i.end());
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int Serializer::addRaw(const std::vector<unsigned char> &vector)
+{
+	int ret=mData.size();
+	mData.insert(mData.end(), vector.begin(), vector.end());
+	return ret;
+}
+
+bool Serializer::get32(uint32& o, int offset) const
+{
+	if((offset+sizeof(o))>mData.size()) return false;
+	for(int i=0, o=0; i<sizeof(o); i++)
+	{
+		o<<=8;
+		o|=mData.at(offset++);
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
+bool Serializer::get64(uint64& o, int offset) const
+{
+	if((offset+sizeof(o))>mData.size()) return false;
+	for(int i=0, o=0; i<sizeof(o); i++)
+	{
+		o<<=8;
+		o|=mData.at(offset++);
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
+bool Serializer::get160(uint160& o, int offset) const
+{
+	if((offset+sizeof(o))>mData.size()) return false;
+	memcpy(&o, &(mData.front())+offset, sizeof(o));
+	return true;
+}
+
+bool Serializer::get256(uint256& o, int offset) const
+{
+	if((offset+sizeof(o))>mData.size()) return false;
+	memcpy(&o, &(mData.front())+offset, sizeof(o));
+	return true;
+}
+
+bool Serializer::getRaw(std::vector<unsigned char>& o, int offset, int length) const
+{
+	if((offset+length)>mData.size()) return false;
+	o.assign(mData.begin()+offset, mData.begin()+offset+length);
+	return true;
+}
+
+uint160 Serializer::getRIPEMD160(int size) const
+{
+	uint160 ret;
+	if((size==0)||(size>mData.size())) size=mData.size();
+	RIPEMD160(&(mData.front()), size, (unsigned char *) &ret);
+}
+
+uint256 Serializer::getSHA256(int size) const
+{
+	uint256 ret;
+	if((size==0)||(size>mData.size())) size=mData.size();
+	SHA256(&(mData.front()), size, (unsigned char *) &ret);
+}
+
+uint256 Serializer::getSHA512Half(int size) const
+{
+	char buf[64];
+	if((size==0)||(size>mData.size())) size=mData.size();
+	SHA512(&(mData.front()), size, (unsigned char *) buf);
+	return * (uint256 *) buf;
+}
+
+bool Serializer::checkSignature(int pubkeyOffset, int signatureOffset) const
+{
+	std::vector<unsigned char> pubkey, signature;
+	if(!getRaw(pubkey, pubkeyOffset, 65)) return false;
+	if(!getRaw(signature, signatureOffset, 72)) return false;
+
+	CKey pubCKey;
+	if(!pubCKey.SetPubKey(pubkey)) return false;
+	return pubCKey.Verify(getSHA512Half(signatureOffset), signature);	
+}
+
+bool Serializer::checkSignature(const std::vector<unsigned char> &signature, CKey& key) const
+{
+	return key.Verify(getSHA512Half(), signature);	
+}
+
+bool Serializer::makeSignature(std::vector<unsigned char> &signature, CKey& key) const
+{
+	return key.Sign(getSHA512Half(), signature);
+}
+
+bool Serializer::addSignature(CKey& key)
+{
+	std::vector<unsigned char> signature;
+	if(!key.Sign(getSHA512Half(), signature)) return false;
+	assert(signature.size()==72);
+	addRaw(signature);
+	return true;
+}
diff --git a/Serializer.h b/Serializer.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5f5c85dfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Serializer.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#ifndef __SERIALIZER__
+#define __SERIALIZER__
+
+#include <vector>
+#include "key.h"
+#include "uint256.h"
+
+class Serializer
+{
+ protected:
+ std::vector<unsigned char> mData;
+ 
+ public:
+ Serializer(int n=256) { mData.reserve(n); }
+ Serializer(const std::vector<unsigned char> &data) : mData(data) { ; }
+
+ // assemble functions
+ int add32(uint32);				// ledger indexes, account sequence
+ int add64(uint64);				// timestamps, amounts
+ int add160(const uint160&);	// account names, hankos
+ int add256(const uint256&);	// transaction and ledger hashes
+ int addRaw(const std::vector<unsigned char> &vector);
+
+ // disassemble functions
+ bool get32(uint32&, int offset) const;
+ bool get64(uint64&, int offset) const;
+ bool get160(uint160&, int offset) const;
+ bool get256(uint256&, int offset) const;
+ bool getRaw(std::vector<unsigned char>&, int offset, int length) const;
+ 
+ // hash functions
+ uint160 getRIPEMD160(int size=0) const;
+ uint256 getSHA256(int size=0) const;
+ uint256 getSHA512Half(int size=0) const;
+
+ // totality functions
+ int getLength() const { return mData.size(); }
+ const std::vector<unsigned char>& peekData() const { return mData; }
+ std::vector<unsigned char> getData() const { return mData; }
+ 
+ // signature functions
+ bool checkSignature(int pubkeyOffset, int signatureOffset) const;
+ bool checkSignature(const std::vector<unsigned char> &signature, CKey& rkey) const;
+ bool makeSignature(std::vector<unsigned char> &signature, CKey& rkey) const;
+ bool addSignature(CKey& rkey);
+
+ static void UnitTest(void);
+};
+
+#endif