diff --git a/eth/ssz/merkleization.nim b/eth/ssz/merkleization.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..84f365d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/eth/ssz/merkleization.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,609 @@
+# ssz_serialization
+# Copyright (c) 2018-2021 Status Research & Development GmbH
+# Licensed and distributed under either of
+#   * MIT license (license terms in the root directory or at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT).
+#   * Apache v2 license (license terms in the root directory or at https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0).
+# at your option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed except according to those terms.
+
+# This module contains the parts necessary to create a merkle hash from the core
+# SSZ types outlined in the spec:
+# https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-specs/blob/v1.0.1/ssz/simple-serialize.md#merkleization
+
+{.push raises: [Defect].}
+
+import
+  stew/[bitops2, endians2, ptrops],
+  stew/ranges/ptr_arith, nimcrypto/[hash, sha2],
+  serialization/testing/tracing,
+  "."/[bitseqs, types]
+
+export
+  types
+
+when hasSerializationTracing:
+  import stew/byteutils, typetraits
+
+const
+  zero64 = default array[64, byte]
+  bitsPerChunk = bytesPerChunk * 8
+
+func binaryTreeHeight*(totalElements: Limit): int =
+  bitWidth nextPow2(uint64 totalElements)
+
+type
+  SszMerkleizerImpl = object
+    combinedChunks: ptr UncheckedArray[Digest]
+    totalChunks: uint64
+    topIndex: int
+
+  SszMerkleizer*[limit: static[Limit]] = object
+    combinedChunks: ref array[binaryTreeHeight limit, Digest]
+    impl: SszMerkleizerImpl
+
+template chunks*(m: SszMerkleizerImpl): openArray[Digest] =
+  m.combinedChunks.toOpenArray(0, m.topIndex)
+
+template getChunkCount*(m: SszMerkleizer): uint64 =
+  m.impl.totalChunks
+
+template getCombinedChunks*(m: SszMerkleizer): openArray[Digest] =
+  toOpenArray(m.impl.combinedChunks, 0, m.impl.topIndex)
+
+type DigestCtx* = sha2.sha256
+
+template computeDigest*(body: untyped): Digest =
+  ## This little helper will init the hash function and return the sliced
+  ## hash:
+  ## let hashOfData = withHash: h.update(data)
+  when nimvm:
+    # In SSZ, computeZeroHashes require compile-time SHA256
+    block:
+      var h {.inject.}: sha256
+      init(h)
+      body
+      finish(h)
+  else:
+    block:
+      var h  {.inject, noInit.}: DigestCtx
+      init(h)
+      body
+      finish(h)
+
+func digest(a, b: openArray[byte]): Digest =
+  result = computeDigest:
+    trs "DIGESTING ARRAYS ", toHex(a), " ", toHex(b)
+    trs toHex(a)
+    trs toHex(b)
+
+    h.update a
+    h.update b
+  trs "HASH RESULT ", result
+
+func digest(a, b, c: openArray[byte]): Digest =
+  result = computeDigest:
+    trs "DIGESTING ARRAYS ", toHex(a), " ", toHex(b), " ", toHex(c)
+
+    h.update a
+    h.update b
+    h.update c
+  trs "HASH RESULT ", result
+
+func mergeBranches(existing: Digest, newData: openArray[byte]): Digest =
+  trs "MERGING BRANCHES OPEN ARRAY"
+
+  let paddingBytes = bytesPerChunk - newData.len
+  digest(existing.data, newData, zero64.toOpenArray(0, paddingBytes - 1))
+
+template mergeBranches(existing: Digest, newData: array[32, byte]): Digest =
+  trs "MERGING BRANCHES ARRAY"
+  digest(existing.data, newData)
+
+template mergeBranches(a, b: Digest): Digest =
+  trs "MERGING BRANCHES DIGEST"
+  digest(a.data, b.data)
+
+func computeZeroHashes: array[sizeof(Limit) * 8, Digest] =
+  result[0] = Digest()
+  for i in 1 .. result.high:
+    result[i] = mergeBranches(result[i - 1], result[i - 1])
+
+const zeroHashes* = computeZeroHashes()
+
+func addChunk*(merkleizer: var SszMerkleizerImpl, data: openArray[byte]) =
+  doAssert data.len > 0 and data.len <= bytesPerChunk
+
+  if getBitLE(merkleizer.totalChunks, 0):
+    var hash = mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[0], data)
+
+    for i in 1 .. merkleizer.topIndex:
+      trs "ITERATING"
+      if getBitLE(merkleizer.totalChunks, i):
+        trs "CALLING MERGE BRANCHES"
+        hash = mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[i], hash)
+      else:
+        trs "WRITING FRESH CHUNK AT ", i, " = ", hash
+        merkleizer.combinedChunks[i] = hash
+        break
+  else:
+    let paddingBytes = bytesPerChunk - data.len
+
+    merkleizer.combinedChunks[0].data[0..<data.len] = data
+    merkleizer.combinedChunks[0].data[data.len..<bytesPerChunk] =
+      zero64.toOpenArray(0, paddingBytes - 1)
+
+    trs "WROTE BASE CHUNK ",
+      toHex(merkleizer.combinedChunks[0].data), " ", data.len
+
+  inc merkleizer.totalChunks
+
+template isOdd(x: SomeNumber): bool =
+  (x and 1) != 0
+
+func addChunkAndGenMerkleProof*(merkleizer: var SszMerkleizerImpl,
+                                hash: Digest,
+                                outProof: var openArray[Digest]) =
+  var
+    hashWrittenToMerkleizer = false
+    hash = hash
+
+  doAssert merkleizer.topIndex < outProof.len
+
+  for level in 0 .. merkleizer.topIndex:
+    if getBitLE(merkleizer.totalChunks, level):
+      outProof[level] = merkleizer.combinedChunks[level]
+      hash = mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[level], hash)
+    else:
+      if not hashWrittenToMerkleizer:
+        merkleizer.combinedChunks[level] = hash
+        hashWrittenToMerkleizer = true
+      outProof[level] = zeroHashes[level]
+      hash = mergeBranches(hash, zeroHashes[level])
+
+  merkleizer.totalChunks += 1
+
+func completeStartedChunk(merkleizer: var SszMerkleizerImpl,
+                          hash: Digest, atLevel: int) =
+  when false:
+    let
+      insertedChunksCount = 1'u64 shl (atLevel - 1)
+      chunksStateMask = (insertedChunksCount shl 1) - 1
+    doAssert (merkleizer.totalChunks and chunksStateMask) == insertedChunksCount
+
+  var hash = hash
+  for i in atLevel .. merkleizer.topIndex:
+    if getBitLE(merkleizer.totalChunks, i):
+      hash = mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[i], hash)
+    else:
+      merkleizer.combinedChunks[i] = hash
+      break
+
+func addChunksAndGenMerkleProofs*(merkleizer: var SszMerkleizerImpl,
+                                  chunks: openArray[Digest]): seq[Digest] =
+  doAssert chunks.len > 0 and merkleizer.topIndex > 0
+
+  let proofHeight = merkleizer.topIndex + 1
+  result = newSeq[Digest](chunks.len * proofHeight)
+
+  if chunks.len == 1:
+    merkleizer.addChunkAndGenMerkleProof(chunks[0], result)
+    return
+
+  let newTotalChunks = merkleizer.totalChunks + chunks.len.uint64
+
+  var
+    # A perfect binary tree will take either `chunks.len * 2` values if the
+    # number of elements in the base layer is odd and `chunks.len * 2 - 1`
+    # otherwise. Each row may also need a single extra element at most if
+    # it must be combined with the existing values in the Merkleizer:
+    merkleTree = newSeqOfCap[Digest](chunks.len + merkleizer.topIndex)
+    inRowIdx = merkleizer.totalChunks
+    postUpdateInRowIdx = newTotalChunks
+    zeroMixed = false
+
+  template writeResult(chunkIdx, level: int, chunk: Digest) =
+    result[chunkIdx * proofHeight + level] = chunk
+
+  # We'll start by generating the first row of the merkle tree.
+  var currPairEnd = if inRowIdx.isOdd:
+    # an odd chunk number means that we must combine the
+    # hash with the existing pending sibling hash in the
+    # merkleizer.
+    writeResult(0, 0, merkleizer.combinedChunks[0])
+    merkleTree.add mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[0], chunks[0])
+
+    # TODO: can we immediately write this out?
+    merkleizer.completeStartedChunk(merkleTree[^1], 1)
+    2
+  else:
+    1
+
+  if postUpdateInRowIdx.isOdd:
+    merkleizer.combinedChunks[0] = chunks[^1]
+
+  while currPairEnd < chunks.len:
+    writeResult(currPairEnd - 1, 0, chunks[currPairEnd])
+    writeResult(currPairEnd, 0, chunks[currPairEnd - 1])
+    merkleTree.add mergeBranches(chunks[currPairEnd - 1],
+                                 chunks[currPairEnd])
+    currPairEnd += 2
+
+  if currPairEnd - 1 < chunks.len:
+    zeroMixed = true
+    writeResult(currPairEnd - 1, 0, zeroHashes[0])
+    merkleTree.add mergeBranches(chunks[currPairEnd - 1],
+                                 zeroHashes[0])
+  var
+    level = 0
+    baseChunksPerElement = 1
+    treeRowStart = 0
+    rowLen = merkleTree.len
+
+  template writeProofs(rowChunkIdx: int, hash: Digest) =
+    let
+      startAbsIdx = (inRowIdx.int + rowChunkIdx) * baseChunksPerElement
+      endAbsIdx = startAbsIdx + baseChunksPerElement
+      startResIdx = max(startAbsIdx - merkleizer.totalChunks.int, 0)
+      endResIdx = min(endAbsIdx - merkleizer.totalChunks.int, chunks.len)
+
+    for resultPos in startResIdx ..< endResIdx:
+      writeResult(resultPos, level, hash)
+
+  if rowLen > 1:
+    while level < merkleizer.topIndex:
+      inc level
+      baseChunksPerElement *= 2
+      inRowIdx = inRowIdx div 2
+      postUpdateInRowIdx = postUpdateInRowIdx div 2
+
+      var currPairEnd = if inRowIdx.isOdd:
+        # an odd chunk number means that we must combine the
+        # hash with the existing pending sibling hash in the
+        # merkleizer.
+        writeProofs(0, merkleizer.combinedChunks[level])
+        merkleTree.add mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[level],
+                                     merkleTree[treeRowStart])
+
+        # TODO: can we immediately write this out?
+        merkleizer.completeStartedChunk(merkleTree[^1], level + 1)
+        2
+      else:
+        1
+
+      if postUpdateInRowIdx.isOdd:
+        merkleizer.combinedChunks[level] = merkleTree[treeRowStart + rowLen -
+                                                      ord(zeroMixed) - 1]
+      while currPairEnd < rowLen:
+        writeProofs(currPairEnd - 1, merkleTree[treeRowStart + currPairEnd])
+        writeProofs(currPairEnd, merkleTree[treeRowStart + currPairEnd - 1])
+        merkleTree.add mergeBranches(merkleTree[treeRowStart + currPairEnd - 1],
+                                     merkleTree[treeRowStart + currPairEnd])
+        currPairEnd += 2
+
+      if currPairEnd - 1 < rowLen:
+        zeroMixed = true
+        writeProofs(currPairEnd - 1, zeroHashes[level])
+        merkleTree.add mergeBranches(merkleTree[treeRowStart + currPairEnd - 1],
+                                     zeroHashes[level])
+
+      treeRowStart += rowLen
+      rowLen = merkleTree.len - treeRowStart
+
+      if rowLen == 1:
+        break
+
+  doAssert rowLen == 1
+
+  if (inRowIdx and 2) != 0:
+    merkleizer.completeStartedChunk(
+      mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[level + 1], merkleTree[^1]),
+      level + 2)
+
+  if (not zeroMixed) and (postUpdateInRowIdx and 2) != 0:
+    merkleizer.combinedChunks[level + 1] = merkleTree[^1]
+
+  while level < merkleizer.topIndex:
+    inc level
+    baseChunksPerElement *= 2
+    inRowIdx = inRowIdx div 2
+
+    let hash = if getBitLE(merkleizer.totalChunks, level):
+      merkleizer.combinedChunks[level]
+    else:
+      zeroHashes[level]
+
+    writeProofs(0, hash)
+
+  merkleizer.totalChunks = newTotalChunks
+
+proc init*(S: type SszMerkleizer): S =
+  new result.combinedChunks
+  result.impl = SszMerkleizerImpl(
+    combinedChunks: cast[ptr UncheckedArray[Digest]](
+      addr result.combinedChunks[][0]),
+    topIndex: binaryTreeHeight(result.limit) - 1,
+    totalChunks: 0)
+
+proc init*(S: type SszMerkleizer,
+           combinedChunks: openArray[Digest],
+           totalChunks: uint64): S =
+  new result.combinedChunks
+  result.combinedChunks[][0 ..< combinedChunks.len] = combinedChunks
+  result.impl = SszMerkleizerImpl(
+    combinedChunks: cast[ptr UncheckedArray[Digest]](
+      addr result.combinedChunks[][0]),
+    topIndex: binaryTreeHeight(result.limit) - 1,
+    totalChunks: totalChunks)
+
+proc copy*[L: static[Limit]](cloned: SszMerkleizer[L]): SszMerkleizer[L] =
+  new result.combinedChunks
+  result.combinedChunks[] = cloned.combinedChunks[]
+  result.impl = SszMerkleizerImpl(
+    combinedChunks: cast[ptr UncheckedArray[Digest]](
+      addr result.combinedChunks[][0]),
+    topIndex: binaryTreeHeight(L) - 1,
+    totalChunks: cloned.totalChunks)
+
+template addChunksAndGenMerkleProofs*(
+    merkleizer: var SszMerkleizer,
+    chunks: openArray[Digest]): seq[Digest] =
+  addChunksAndGenMerkleProofs(merkleizer.impl, chunks)
+
+template addChunk*(merkleizer: var SszMerkleizer, data: openArray[byte]) =
+  addChunk(merkleizer.impl, data)
+
+template totalChunks*(merkleizer: SszMerkleizer): uint64 =
+  merkleizer.impl.totalChunks
+
+template getFinalHash*(merkleizer: SszMerkleizer): Digest =
+  merkleizer.impl.getFinalHash
+
+template createMerkleizer*(totalElements: static Limit): SszMerkleizerImpl =
+  trs "CREATING A MERKLEIZER FOR ", totalElements
+
+  const treeHeight = binaryTreeHeight totalElements
+  var combinedChunks {.noInit.}: array[treeHeight, Digest]
+
+  SszMerkleizerImpl(
+    combinedChunks: cast[ptr UncheckedArray[Digest]](addr combinedChunks),
+    topIndex: treeHeight - 1,
+    totalChunks: 0)
+
+func getFinalHash*(merkleizer: SszMerkleizerImpl): Digest =
+  if merkleizer.totalChunks == 0:
+    return zeroHashes[merkleizer.topIndex]
+
+  let
+    bottomHashIdx = firstOne(merkleizer.totalChunks) - 1
+    submittedChunksHeight = bitWidth(merkleizer.totalChunks - 1)
+    topHashIdx = merkleizer.topIndex
+
+  trs "BOTTOM HASH ", bottomHashIdx
+  trs "SUBMITTED HEIGHT ", submittedChunksHeight
+  trs "TOP HASH IDX ", topHashIdx
+
+  if bottomHashIdx != submittedChunksHeight:
+    # Our tree is not finished. We must complete the work in progress
+    # branches and then extend the tree to the right height.
+    result = mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[bottomHashIdx],
+                           zeroHashes[bottomHashIdx])
+
+    for i in bottomHashIdx + 1 ..< topHashIdx:
+      if getBitLE(merkleizer.totalChunks, i):
+        result = mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[i], result)
+        trs "COMBINED"
+      else:
+        result = mergeBranches(result, zeroHashes[i])
+        trs "COMBINED WITH ZERO"
+
+  elif bottomHashIdx == topHashIdx:
+    # We have a perfect tree (chunks == 2**n) at just the right height!
+    result = merkleizer.combinedChunks[bottomHashIdx]
+  else:
+    # We have a perfect tree of user chunks, but we have more work to
+    # do - we must extend it to reach the desired height
+    result = mergeBranches(merkleizer.combinedChunks[bottomHashIdx],
+                           zeroHashes[bottomHashIdx])
+
+    for i in bottomHashIdx + 1 ..< topHashIdx:
+      result = mergeBranches(result, zeroHashes[i])
+
+func mixInLength*(root: Digest, length: int): Digest =
+  var dataLen: array[32, byte]
+  dataLen[0..<8] = uint64(length).toBytesLE()
+  mergeBranches(root, dataLen)
+
+func hash_tree_root*(x: auto): Digest {.gcsafe, raises: [Defect].}
+
+template merkleizeFields(totalElements: static Limit, body: untyped): Digest =
+  var merkleizer {.inject.} = createMerkleizer(totalElements)
+
+  template addField(field) =
+    let hash = hash_tree_root(field)
+    trs "MERKLEIZING FIELD ", astToStr(field), " = ", hash
+    addChunk(merkleizer, hash.data)
+    trs "CHUNK ADDED"
+
+  body
+
+  getFinalHash(merkleizer)
+
+template writeBytesLE(chunk: var array[bytesPerChunk, byte], atParam: int,
+                      val: SomeUnsignedInt) =
+  let at = atParam
+  chunk[at ..< at + sizeof(val)] = toBytesLE(val)
+
+func chunkedHashTreeRootForBasicTypes[T](merkleizer: var SszMerkleizerImpl,
+                                         arr: openArray[T]): Digest =
+  static:
+    doAssert T is BasicType
+
+  if arr.len == 0:
+    return getFinalHash(merkleizer)
+
+  when T is byte:
+    var
+      remainingBytes = arr.len
+      pos = cast[ptr byte](unsafeAddr arr[0])
+
+    while remainingBytes >= bytesPerChunk:
+      merkleizer.addChunk(makeOpenArray(pos, bytesPerChunk))
+      pos = offset(pos, bytesPerChunk)
+      remainingBytes -= bytesPerChunk
+
+    if remainingBytes > 0:
+      merkleizer.addChunk(makeOpenArray(pos, remainingBytes))
+
+  elif T is bool or cpuEndian == littleEndian:
+    let
+      baseAddr = cast[ptr byte](unsafeAddr arr[0])
+      len = arr.len * sizeof(T)
+    return chunkedHashTreeRootForBasicTypes(merkleizer, makeOpenArray(baseAddr, len))
+
+  else:
+    static:
+      doAssert T is UintN
+      doAssert bytesPerChunk mod sizeof(Т) == 0
+
+    const valuesPerChunk = bytesPerChunk div sizeof(Т)
+
+    var writtenValues = 0
+
+    var chunk: array[bytesPerChunk, byte]
+    while writtenValues < arr.len - valuesPerChunk:
+      for i in 0 ..< valuesPerChunk:
+        chunk.writeBytesLE(i * sizeof(T), arr[writtenValues + i])
+      merkleizer.addChunk chunk
+      inc writtenValues, valuesPerChunk
+
+    let remainingValues = arr.len - writtenValues
+    if remainingValues > 0:
+      var lastChunk: array[bytesPerChunk, byte]
+      for i in 0 ..< remainingValues:
+        chunk.writeBytesLE(i * sizeof(T), arr[writtenValues + i])
+      merkleizer.addChunk lastChunk
+
+  getFinalHash(merkleizer)
+
+func bitListHashTreeRoot(merkleizer: var SszMerkleizerImpl, x: BitSeq): Digest =
+  # TODO: Switch to a simpler BitList representation and
+  #       replace this with `chunkedHashTreeRoot`
+  var
+    totalBytes = bytes(x).len
+    lastCorrectedByte = bytes(x)[^1]
+
+  if lastCorrectedByte == byte(1):
+    if totalBytes == 1:
+      # This is an empty bit list.
+      # It should be hashed as a tree containing all zeros:
+      return mergeBranches(zeroHashes[merkleizer.topIndex],
+                           zeroHashes[0]) # this is the mixed length
+
+    totalBytes -= 1
+    lastCorrectedByte = bytes(x)[^2]
+  else:
+    let markerPos = log2trunc(lastCorrectedByte)
+    lastCorrectedByte.clearBit(markerPos)
+
+  var
+    bytesInLastChunk = totalBytes mod bytesPerChunk
+    fullChunks = totalBytes div bytesPerChunk
+
+  if bytesInLastChunk == 0:
+    fullChunks -= 1
+    bytesInLastChunk = 32
+
+  for i in 0 ..< fullChunks:
+    let
+      chunkStartPos = i * bytesPerChunk
+      chunkEndPos = chunkStartPos + bytesPerChunk - 1
+
+    merkleizer.addChunk bytes(x).toOpenArray(chunkStartPos, chunkEndPos)
+
+  var
+    lastChunk: array[bytesPerChunk, byte]
+    chunkStartPos = fullChunks * bytesPerChunk
+
+  for i in 0 .. bytesInLastChunk - 2:
+    lastChunk[i] = bytes(x)[chunkStartPos + i]
+
+  lastChunk[bytesInLastChunk - 1] = lastCorrectedByte
+
+  merkleizer.addChunk lastChunk.toOpenArray(0, bytesInLastChunk - 1)
+  let contentsHash = merkleizer.getFinalHash
+  mixInLength contentsHash, x.len
+
+func maxChunksCount(T: type, maxLen: Limit): Limit =
+  when T is BitList|BitArray:
+    (maxLen + bitsPerChunk - 1) div bitsPerChunk
+  elif T is array|List:
+    maxChunkIdx(ElemType(T), maxLen)
+  else:
+    unsupported T # This should never happen
+
+func hashTreeRootAux[T](x: T): Digest =
+  when T is bool|char:
+    result.data[0] = byte(x)
+  elif T is SomeUnsignedInt:
+    when cpuEndian == bigEndian:
+      result.data[0..<sizeof(x)] = toBytesLE(x)
+    else:
+      copyMem(addr result.data[0], unsafeAddr x, sizeof x)
+  elif (when T is array: ElemType(T) is BasicType else: false):
+    type E = ElemType(T)
+    when sizeof(T) <= sizeof(result.data):
+      when E is byte|bool or cpuEndian == littleEndian:
+        copyMem(addr result.data[0], unsafeAddr x, sizeof x)
+      else:
+        var pos = 0
+        for e in x:
+          writeBytesLE(result.data, pos, e)
+          pos += sizeof(E)
+    else:
+      trs "FIXED TYPE; USE CHUNK STREAM"
+      var markleizer = createMerkleizer(maxChunksCount(T, Limit x.len))
+      chunkedHashTreeRootForBasicTypes(markleizer, x)
+  elif T is BitArray:
+    hashTreeRootAux(x.bytes)
+  elif T is array|object|tuple:
+    trs "MERKLEIZING FIELDS"
+    const totalFields = when T is array: len(x)
+                        else: totalSerializedFields(T)
+    merkleizeFields(Limit totalFields):
+      x.enumerateSubFields(f):
+        addField f
+  #elif isCaseObject(T):
+  #  # TODO implement this
+  else:
+    unsupported T
+
+func hashTreeRootList(x: List|BitList): Digest =
+  const maxLen = static(x.maxLen)
+  type T = type(x)
+  const limit = maxChunksCount(T, maxLen)
+  var merkleizer = createMerkleizer(limit)
+
+  when x is BitList:
+    merkleizer.bitListHashTreeRoot(BitSeq x)
+  else:
+    type E = ElemType(T)
+    let contentsHash = when E is BasicType:
+      chunkedHashTreeRootForBasicTypes(merkleizer, asSeq x)
+    else:
+      for elem in x:
+        let elemHash = hash_tree_root(elem)
+        merkleizer.addChunk(elemHash.data)
+      merkleizer.getFinalHash()
+    mixInLength(contentsHash, x.len)
+
+func hash_tree_root*(x: auto): Digest {.raises: [Defect].} =
+  trs "STARTING HASH TREE ROOT FOR TYPE ", name(type(x))
+  mixin toSszType
+
+  result =
+    when x is List|BitList:
+      hashTreeRootList(x)
+    else:
+      hashTreeRootAux toSszType(x)
+
+  trs "HASH TREE ROOT FOR ", name(type x), " = ", "0x", $result
+
diff --git a/eth/ssz/types.nim b/eth/ssz/types.nim
index ec7ba6e..9e41bb3 100644
--- a/eth/ssz/types.nim
+++ b/eth/ssz/types.nim
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import
   std/[tables, options, typetraits, strformat],
   stew/shims/macros, stew/[byteutils, bitops2, objects],
-  serialization/[object_serialization, errors],
+  nimcrypto/hash, serialization/[object_serialization, errors],
   ./bitseqs
 
 export bitseqs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type
 
   List*[T; maxLen: static Limit] = distinct seq[T]
   BitList*[maxLen: static Limit] = distinct BitSeq
+  Digest* = MDigest[32 * 8]
 
   # Note for readers:
   # We use `array` for `Vector` and
@@ -41,6 +42,49 @@ type
     actualSszSize*: int
     elementSize*: int
 
+# A few index types from here onwards:
+# * dataIdx - leaf index starting from 0 to maximum length of collection
+# * chunkIdx - leaf data index after chunking starting from 0
+# * vIdx - virtual index in merkle tree - the root is found at index 1, its
+#          two children at 2, 3 then 4, 5, 6, 7 etc
+
+func nextPow2Int64(x: int64): int64 =
+  # TODO the nextPow2 in bitops2 works with uint64 - there's a bug in the nim
+  #      compiler preventing it to be used - it seems that a conversion to
+  #      uint64 cannot be done with the static maxLen :(
+  var v = x - 1
+
+  # round down, make sure all bits are 1 below the threshold, then add 1
+  v = v or v shr 1
+  v = v or v shr 2
+  v = v or v shr 4
+  when bitsof(x) > 8:
+    v = v or v shr 8
+  when bitsof(x) > 16:
+    v = v or v shr 16
+  when bitsof(x) > 32:
+    v = v or v shr 32
+
+  v + 1
+
+template dataPerChunk(T: type): int =
+  # How many data items fit in a chunk
+  when T is BasicType:
+    bytesPerChunk div sizeof(T)
+  else:
+    1
+
+template chunkIdx*(T: type, dataIdx: int64): int64 =
+  # Given a data index, which chunk does it belong to?
+  dataIdx div dataPerChunk(T)
+
+template maxChunkIdx*(T: type, maxLen: Limit): int64 =
+  # Given a number of data items, how many chunks are needed?
+  # TODO compiler bug:
+  # beacon_chain/ssz/types.nim(75, 53) Error: cannot generate code for: maxLen
+  # nextPow2(chunkIdx(T, maxLen + dataPerChunk(T) - 1).uint64).int64
+  nextPow2Int64(chunkIdx(T, maxLen.int64 + dataPerChunk(T) - 1))
+
 template asSeq*(x: List): auto = distinctBase(x)
 
 template init*[T](L: type List, x: seq[T], N: static Limit): auto =