diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotMarshaller.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotMarshaller.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2271501
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotMarshaller.java
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+//
+// samskivert library - useful routines for java programs
+// Copyright (C) 2001-2006 Michael Bayne
+// 
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library 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
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.samskivert.jdbc.depot;
+
+import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
+import java.lang.reflect.Field;
+import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
+
+import java.sql.Connection;
+import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
+import java.sql.ResultSet;
+import java.sql.SQLException;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+
+import javax.persistence.Id;
+
+/**
+ * Handles the marshalling and unmarshalling of persistent instances to JDBC
+ * primitives ({@link PreparedStatement} and {@link ResultSet}).
+ */
+public class DepotMarshaller<T>
+{
+    /**
+     * Creates a marshaller for the specified persistent object class.
+     */
+    public DepotMarshaller (Class<T> pclass)
+    {
+        _pclass = pclass;
+
+        // determine our table name
+        _tableName = _pclass.getName();
+        _tableName = _tableName.substring(_tableName.lastIndexOf(".")+1);
+
+        // introspect on the class and create field marshallers for all of its
+        // fields
+        ArrayList<FieldMarshaller> flist = new ArrayList<FieldMarshaller>();
+        for (Field field : _pclass.getFields()) {
+            // the field must be public, non-static and non-transient
+            int mods = field.getModifiers();
+            if (((mods & Modifier.PUBLIC) == 0) ||
+                ((mods & Modifier.STATIC) != 0) ||
+                ((mods & Modifier.TRANSIENT) != 0)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            FieldMarshaller fm = FieldMarshaller.createMarshaller(field);
+            flist.add(fm);
+
+            // check to see if this is our primary key
+            for (Annotation ann : field.getDeclaredAnnotations()) {
+                System.err.println(
+                    "Annotation " + ann + " (" + ann.getClass() + ")");
+            }
+        }
+        _fields = flist.toArray(new FieldMarshaller[flist.size()]);
+
+        // generate our full list of columns for use in queries
+        StringBuffer columns = new StringBuffer();
+        for (FieldMarshaller fm : _fields) {
+            if (columns.length() > 0) {
+                columns.append(",");
+            }
+            columns.append(fm.getColumnName());
+        }
+        _fullColumnList = columns.toString();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the name of the table in which persistence instances of this
+     * class are stored. By default this is the classname of the persistent
+     * object without the package.
+     */
+    public String getTableName ()
+    {
+        return _tableName;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the field name of the primary key for this persistent object
+     * class or null if it did not declare a primary key.
+     */
+    public String getPrimaryKey ()
+    {
+        return _primaryKey == null ? null : _primaryKey.getColumnName();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a query for instances of this persistent object type using the
+     * supplied key.
+     */
+    public PreparedStatement createQuery (
+        Connection conn, DepotRepository.Key key)
+        throws SQLException
+    {
+        String query = "select " + _fullColumnList + " from " + getTableName() +
+            " where " + key.toWhereClause();
+        PreparedStatement pstmt = conn.prepareStatement(query);
+        for (int ii = 0; ii < key.indices.length; ii++) {
+            pstmt.setObject(ii+1, key.values[ii]);
+        }
+        return pstmt;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a persistent object from the supplied result set.
+     */
+    public T createObject (ResultSet rs)
+        throws SQLException
+    {
+        try {
+            T po = (T)_pclass.newInstance();
+            for (int ii = 0; ii < _fields.length; ii++) {
+                _fields[ii].getValue(rs, ii+1, po);
+            }
+            return po;
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            String errmsg = "Failed to unmarshall persistent object " +
+                "[pclass=" + _pclass.getName() + "]";
+            throw (SQLException)new SQLException(errmsg).initCause(e);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a statement that will insert the supplied persistent object into
+     * the database.
+     */
+    public PreparedStatement createInsert (Connection conn, Object po)
+        throws SQLException
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a statement that will update the supplied persistent object
+     * using the supplied key.
+     */
+    public PreparedStatement createUpdate (
+        Connection conn, Object po, DepotRepository.Key key)
+        throws SQLException
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Binds the specified object to the specified prepared statement.
+     */
+    public void bindObject (PreparedStatement stmt, Object po)
+    {
+    }
+
+    protected Class<T> _pclass;
+    protected FieldMarshaller[] _fields;
+
+    protected String _tableName;
+    protected FieldMarshaller _primaryKey;
+    protected String _fullColumnList;
+}
diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotRepository.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotRepository.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3fafd03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/DepotRepository.java
@@ -0,0 +1,313 @@
+//
+// samskivert library - useful routines for java programs
+// Copyright (C) 2006 Michael Bayne
+// 
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library 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
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.samskivert.jdbc.depot;
+
+import java.sql.Connection;
+import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
+import java.sql.ResultSet;
+import java.sql.SQLException;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+
+import com.samskivert.io.PersistenceException;
+import com.samskivert.jdbc.ConnectionProvider;
+
+/**
+ * Provides a base for classes that provide access to persistent objects. Also
+ * defines the mechanism by which all persistent queries and updates are routed
+ * through the distributed cache.
+ */
+public class DepotRepository
+{
+    protected DepotRepository (ConnectionProvider conprov)
+    {
+        _conprov = conprov;
+    }
+
+    protected <T> T load (Class<T> type, Comparable primaryKey)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        DepotMarshaller<T> marsh = getMarshaller(type);
+        Key key = new Key(marsh.getPrimaryKey(), primaryKey);
+        return invoke(new ObjectQuery<T>(marsh, key));
+    }
+
+    protected <T> T load (Class<T> type, Key key)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        DepotMarshaller<T> marsh = getMarshaller(type);
+        return invoke(new ObjectQuery<T>(marsh, key));
+    }
+
+    protected <T,C extends Collection<T>> Collection<T> findAll (
+        Class<T> type, Key key)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        DepotMarshaller<T> marsh = getMarshaller(type);
+        return invoke(new ObjectCollectionQuery<T>(marsh, key));
+    }
+
+    protected <T extends Collection> T findAll (
+        String index, Comparable key, CollectionQuery<T> query)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    protected void insert (Object record)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+    }
+
+    protected int update (Object record)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    protected int update (Object record, String ... modifiedFields)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    protected <T> int updatePartial (Class<T> type,
+        Comparable primaryKey, Object ... fieldsValues)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    protected <T> int updatePartial (Class<T> type,
+        Key key, Object ... fieldsValues)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    protected <T> int updateLiteral (Class<T> type,
+        Comparable primaryKey, Object ... fieldsValues)
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    protected <T> int updateLiteral (Class<T> type,
+        Key key, Object ... fieldsValues)
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    protected int store (Object record)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    protected void delete (Object record)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+    }
+
+    protected <T> void delete (Class<T> type, Comparable primaryKey)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+    }
+
+    protected <T> void deleteAll (Class<T> type, Key key)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+    }
+
+    protected <T> DepotMarshaller<T> getMarshaller (Class<T> type)
+    {
+        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")DepotMarshaller<T> marshaller =
+            (DepotMarshaller<T>)_marshallers.get(type);
+        if (marshaller == null) {
+            _marshallers.put(type, marshaller = new DepotMarshaller<T>(type));
+        }
+        return marshaller;
+    }
+
+    protected <T> T invoke (Query<T> query)
+        throws PersistenceException
+    {
+        // TODO: check the cache using query.getKey()
+
+        // TODO: retry query on transient failure
+        Connection conn = _conprov.getConnection(getIdent(), true);
+        try {
+            return query.invoke(conn);
+
+        } catch (SQLException sqe) {
+            throw new PersistenceException("Query failure " + query, sqe);
+
+        } finally {
+            _conprov.releaseConnection(getIdent(), true, conn);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the identifier to be used when obtaining JDBC connections from
+     * our connection provider. The default implementation uses the class name
+     * of this repository.
+     */
+    protected String getIdent ()
+    {
+        return getClass().getName();
+    }
+
+    protected static class Key
+    {
+        public String[] indices;
+        public Comparable[] values;
+
+        public Key (String[] indices, Comparable[] values)
+        {
+            this.indices = indices;
+            this.values = values;
+        }
+
+        public Key (String index, Comparable value)
+        {
+            this(new String[] { index }, new Comparable[] { value });
+        }
+
+        public String toWhereClause ()
+        {
+            StringBuffer where = new StringBuffer();
+            for (int ii = 0; ii < indices.length; ii++) {
+                if (ii > 0) {
+                    where.append(" and ");
+                }
+                where.append(indices[ii]).append(" = ?");
+            }
+            return where.toString();
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class Key2 extends Key
+    {
+        public Key2 (String index1, Comparable value1,
+            String index2, Comparable value2)
+        {
+            super(new String[] { index1, index2 },
+                new Comparable[] { value1, value2 });
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static abstract class Query<T>
+    {
+        public Key getKey ()
+        {
+            return _key;
+        }
+
+        public abstract T invoke (Connection conn)
+            throws SQLException, PersistenceException;
+
+        protected Query (Key key)
+        {
+            _key = key;
+        }
+
+        protected Key _key;
+    }
+
+    protected static abstract class CollectionQuery<T extends Collection>
+    {
+        public abstract T invoke (Connection conn)
+            throws SQLException, PersistenceException;
+    }
+
+    protected static class ObjectQuery<T> extends Query<T>
+    {
+        public ObjectQuery (DepotMarshaller<T> marsh, Key key) {
+            super(key);
+            _marsh = marsh;
+        }
+
+        public T invoke (Connection conn)
+            throws SQLException, PersistenceException
+        {
+            PreparedStatement stmt = _marsh.createQuery(conn, _key);
+            try {
+                T result = null;
+                ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery();
+                if (rs.next()) {
+                    result = _marsh.createObject(rs);
+                }
+                // TODO: if (rs.next()) issue warning?
+                rs.close();
+                return result;
+
+            } finally {
+                stmt.close();
+            }
+        }
+
+        protected DepotMarshaller<T> _marsh;
+    }
+
+    protected static class ObjectCollectionQuery<T>
+        extends Query<ArrayList<T>>
+    {
+        public ObjectCollectionQuery (DepotMarshaller<T> marsh, Key key) {
+            super(key);
+            _marsh = marsh;
+        }
+
+        public ArrayList<T> invoke (Connection conn)
+            throws SQLException, PersistenceException
+        {
+            PreparedStatement stmt = _marsh.createQuery(conn, _key);
+            try {
+                ArrayList<T> results = new ArrayList<T>();
+                ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery();
+                while (rs.next()) {
+                    results.add(_marsh.createObject(rs));
+                }
+                return results;
+
+            } finally {
+                stmt.close();
+            }
+        }
+
+        protected DepotMarshaller<T> _marsh;
+    }
+
+//     protected static abstract class InstanceUpdate<T>
+//     {
+//         public void invoke (T object)
+//             throws PersistenceException;
+//     }
+
+//     protected static abstract class CollectionUpdate<T>
+//     {
+//         public void invoke (Collection<T> collection)
+//             throws PersistenceException;
+//     }
+
+    protected ConnectionProvider _conprov;
+
+    protected HashMap<Class<?>, DepotMarshaller<?>> _marshallers =
+        new HashMap<Class<?>, DepotMarshaller<?>>();
+}
diff --git a/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/FieldMarshaller.java b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/FieldMarshaller.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..653c668
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/samskivert/jdbc/depot/FieldMarshaller.java
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+//
+// samskivert library - useful routines for java programs
+// Copyright (C) 2001-2006 Michael Bayne
+// 
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library 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
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.samskivert.jdbc.depot;
+
+import java.lang.reflect.Field;
+
+import java.sql.Blob;
+import java.sql.Clob;
+import java.sql.Date;
+import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
+import java.sql.ResultSet;
+import java.sql.SQLException;
+import java.sql.Time;
+import java.sql.Timestamp;
+
+/**
+ * Handles the marshalling and unmarshalling of a particular field of a
+ * persistent object.
+ *
+ * @see DepotMarshaller
+ */
+public abstract class FieldMarshaller
+{
+    /**
+     * Creates and returns a field marshaller for the specified field. Throws
+     * an exception if the field in question cannot be marshalled.
+     */
+    public static FieldMarshaller createMarshaller (Field field)
+    {
+        Class<?> ftype = field.getType();
+        FieldMarshaller marshaller;
+
+        // primitive types
+        if (ftype.equals(Boolean.TYPE)) {
+            marshaller = new PBooleanMarshaller();
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Byte.TYPE)) {
+            marshaller = new PByteMarshaller();
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Short.TYPE)) {
+            marshaller = new PShortMarshaller();
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Integer.TYPE)) {
+            marshaller = new PIntMarshaller();
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Long.TYPE)) {
+            marshaller = new PLongMarshaller();
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Float.TYPE)) {
+            marshaller = new PFloatMarshaller();
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Double.TYPE)) {
+            marshaller = new PDoubleMarshaller();
+
+        // "natural" types
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Byte.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Short.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Integer.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Long.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Float.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Double.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(String.class)) {
+            marshaller = new ObjectMarshaller();
+
+        // TODO: byte array, (other array types?)
+
+        // SQL types
+        } else if (ftype.equals(Date.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Time.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Timestamp.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Blob.class) ||
+            ftype.equals(Clob.class)) {
+            marshaller = new ObjectMarshaller();
+
+        } else {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+                "Cannot marshall field of type '" + ftype.getName() + "'.");
+        }
+
+        marshaller.init(field);
+        return marshaller;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reads the value of our field from the persistent object and sets that
+     * value into the specified column of the supplied prepared statement.
+     */
+    public abstract void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+        throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException;
+
+    /**
+     * Reads the specified column from the supplied result set and writes it to
+     * the appropriate field of the persistent object.
+     */
+    public abstract void getValue (ResultSet rset, int column, Object po)
+        throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException;
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the name of the table column used to store this field.
+     */
+    public String getColumnName ()
+    {
+        return _field.getName();
+    }
+
+    protected void init (Field field)
+    {
+        _field = field;
+    }
+
+    protected static class PBooleanMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setBoolean(column, _field.getBoolean(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.setBoolean(po, rs.getBoolean(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class PByteMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setByte(column, _field.getByte(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.setByte(po, rs.getByte(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class PShortMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setShort(column, _field.getShort(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.setShort(po, rs.getShort(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class PIntMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setInt(column, _field.getInt(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.setInt(po, rs.getInt(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class PLongMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setLong(column, _field.getLong(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.setLong(po, rs.getLong(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class PFloatMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setFloat(column, _field.getFloat(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.setFloat(po, rs.getFloat(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class PDoubleMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setDouble(column, _field.getDouble(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.setDouble(po, rs.getDouble(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected static class ObjectMarshaller extends FieldMarshaller {
+        public void setValue (Object po, PreparedStatement ps, int column)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            ps.setObject(column, _field.get(po));
+        }
+        public void getValue (ResultSet rs, int column, Object po)
+            throws SQLException, IllegalAccessException {
+            _field.set(po, rs.getObject(column));
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected Field _field;
+}