diff --git a/library/CMakeLists.txt b/library/CMakeLists.txt
index 5534878f..a4e937a8 100644
--- a/library/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/library/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -63,11 +63,13 @@ SET(IMPL_INC_FILES
 
 #Projects source files
 SET(UTIL_SRC_FILES
+	source/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.cpp
 	source/PolyVoxUtil/VolumeChangeTracker.cpp
 )
 
 #Projects headers files
 SET(UTIL_INC_FILES
+	include/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.h
 	include/PolyVoxUtil/VolumeChangeTracker.h	
 )
 
diff --git a/library/include/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.h b/library/include/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e7899cef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/include/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.h
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#pragma region License
+/******************************************************************************
+This file is part of the PolyVox library
+Copyright (C) 2006  David Williams
+
+This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+******************************************************************************/
+#pragma endregion
+
+#ifndef __PolyVox_Serialization_H__
+#define __PolyVox_Serialization_H__
+
+#include "PolyVoxCore/Constants.h"
+#include "PolyVoxCore/PolyVoxForwardDeclarations.h"
+#include "PolyVoxCore/Region.h"
+#include "PolyVoxCore/TypeDef.h"
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+namespace PolyVox
+{	
+	POLYVOX_API BlockVolume<uint8>* loadVolumeRaw(std::istream& stream);
+	POLYVOX_API void saveVolumeRaw(std::ostream& stream, BlockVolume<uint8>& volume);
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/library/source/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.cpp b/library/source/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..34b2a9e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/source/PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#include "PolyVoxUtil/Serialization.h"
+
+#include "PolyVoxCore/BlockVolume.h"
+#include "PolyVoxCore/BlockVolumeIterator.h"
+#include "PolyVoxCore/Utility.h"
+
+using namespace std;
+
+namespace PolyVox
+{
+	//Note: we don't do much error handling in here - exceptions will simply be propergated up to the caller.
+	//FIXME - think about pointer ownership issues. Or could return volume by value if the copy constructor is shallow
+	BlockVolume<uint8>* loadVolumeRaw(istream& stream)
+	{
+		//Read volume dimensions
+		uint8 volumeWidthPower = 0;
+		uint8 volumeHeightPower = 0;
+		uint8 volumeDepthPower = 0;
+		stream.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&volumeWidthPower), sizeof(volumeWidthPower));
+		stream.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&volumeHeightPower), sizeof(volumeHeightPower));
+		stream.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&volumeDepthPower), sizeof(volumeDepthPower));
+		
+		//FIXME - need to support non cubic volumes
+		BlockVolume<uint8>* volume = new BlockVolume<uint8>(volumeWidthPower);
+
+		uint16 volumeWidth = 0x0001 << volumeWidthPower;
+		uint16 volumeHeight = 0x0001 << volumeHeightPower;
+		uint16 volumeDepth = 0x0001 << volumeDepthPower;
+
+		//Read data
+		BlockVolumeIterator<uint8> volIter(*volume);
+		for(uint16 z = 0; z < volumeDepth; ++z)
+		{
+			for(uint16 y = 0; y < volumeHeight; ++y)
+			{
+				for(uint16 x = 0; x < volumeWidth; ++x)
+				{
+					uint8 value = 0;
+					stream.read(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&value), sizeof(value));
+			
+					volIter.setPosition(x,y,z);
+					volIter.setVoxel(value);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		return volume;
+	}
+
+	void saveVolumeRaw(std::ostream& stream, BlockVolume<uint8>& volume)
+	{
+		//Write volume dimensions
+		uint16 volumeWidth = volume.getSideLength();
+		uint16 volumeHeight = volume.getSideLength();
+		uint16 volumeDepth  = volume.getSideLength();
+
+		uint8 volumeWidthPower = logBase2(volumeWidth);
+		uint8 volumeHeightPower = logBase2(volumeHeight);
+		uint8 volumeDepthPower = logBase2(volumeDepth);
+
+		stream.write(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&volumeWidthPower), sizeof(volumeWidthPower));
+		stream.write(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&volumeHeightPower), sizeof(volumeHeightPower));
+		stream.write(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&volumeDepthPower), sizeof(volumeDepthPower));
+
+		//Write data
+		BlockVolumeIterator<uint8> volIter(volume);
+		for(uint16 z = 0; z < volumeDepth; ++z)
+		{
+			for(uint16 y = 0; y < volumeHeight; ++y)
+			{
+				for(uint16 x = 0; x < volumeWidth; ++x)
+				{
+					volIter.setPosition(x,y,z);
+					uint8 value = volIter.getVoxel();
+					stream.write(reinterpret_cast<char*>(&value), sizeof(value));
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file