diff --git a/mk/clean.mk b/mk/clean.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce9afb3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/clean.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+clean-files :=
+
+clean:
+	$(suppress) rm -fv -- $(clean-files)
+
+dryclean:
+	@for i in $(clean-files); do if [ -e $$i ]; then echo $$i; fi; done | sort
+
+print-top-help += \
+  echo "  clean: Delete generated files"; \
+  echo "  dryclean: Show what files would be deleted by 'make clean'";
diff --git a/mk/dist.mk b/mk/dist.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..794b2777
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/dist.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+ifdef PACKAGE_NAME
+
+dist-name = $(PACKAGE_NAME)-$(PACKAGE_VERSION)
+
+dist: $(dist-name).tar.bz2 $(dist-name).tar.xz
+
+$(dist-name).tar.bz2: $(dist-files)
+	$(trace-gen) tar cfj $@ $(sort $(dist-files)) --transform 's,^,$(dist-name)/,'
+
+$(dist-name).tar.xz: $(dist-files)
+	$(trace-gen) tar cfJ $@ $(sort $(dist-files)) --transform 's,^,$(dist-name)/,'
+
+clean-files += $(dist-name).tar.bz2 $(dist-name).tar.xz
+
+print-top-help += echo "  dist: Generate a source distribution";
+
+endif
diff --git a/mk/functions.mk b/mk/functions.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..51f64570
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/functions.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Utility function for recursively finding files, e.g.
+# ‘$(call rwildcard, path/to/dir, *.c *.h)’.
+rwildcard=$(foreach d,$(wildcard $1*),$(call rwildcard,$d/,$2) $(filter $(subst *,%,$2),$d))
+
+# Given a file name, produce the corresponding dependency file
+# (e.g. ‘foo/bar.o’ becomes ‘foo/.bar.o.dep’).
+filename-to-dep = $(dir $1).$(notdir $1).dep
diff --git a/mk/install.mk b/mk/install.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..093f30b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/install.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Add a rule for creating $(1) as a directory.  This template may be
+# called multiple times for the same directory.
+define create-dir =
+  ifndef $(1)_SEEN
+    $(1)_SEEN = 1
+    $(1):
+	$$(trace-install) install -d $(1)
+  endif
+endef
+
+
+# Add a rule for installing file $(1) as file $(2) with mode $(3).
+# The directory containing $(2) will be created automatically.
+define install-file-as =
+
+  install: $(2)
+
+  $$(eval $$(call create-dir,$$(dir $(2))))
+
+  $(2): $(1) | $$(dir $(2))
+	$$(trace-install) install -m $(3) $(1) $(2)
+
+endef
+
+
+# Add a rule for installing file $(1) in directory $(2) with mode
+# $(3).  The directory will be created automatically.
+define install-file-in =
+  $$(eval $$(call install-file-as,$(1),$(2)/$$(notdir $(1)),$(3)))
+endef
+
+
+define install-program-in =
+  $$(eval $$(call install-file-in,$(1),$(2),0755))
+endef
+
+
+define install-data-in =
+  $$(eval $$(call install-file-in,$(1),$(2),0644))
+endef
+
+
+# Install a symlink from $(2) to $(1).  Note that $(1) need not exist.
+define install-symlink =
+
+  install: $(2)
+
+  $$(eval $$(call create-dir,$$(dir $(2))))
+
+  $(2): | $$(dir $(2))
+	$$(trace-install) ln -sfn $(1) $(2)
+
+endef
+
+
+print-top-help += \
+  echo "  install: Install into \$$(prefix) (currently set to '$(prefix)')";
diff --git a/mk/jars.mk b/mk/jars.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9595c1c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/jars.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+define build-jar =
+  $(1)_NAME ?= $(1)
+
+  _d := $$(strip $$($(1)_DIR))
+
+  $(1)_PATH := $$(_d)/$$($(1)_NAME).jar
+
+  $(1)_TMPDIR := $$(_d)/.$$($(1)_NAME).jar.tmp
+
+  $$($(1)_PATH): $$($(1)_SOURCES)
+	@rm -rf $$($(1)_TMPDIR)
+	@mkdir -p $$($(1)_TMPDIR)
+	$$(trace-javac) javac $(GLOBAL_JAVACFLAGS) $$($(1)_JAVACFLAGS) -d $$($(1)_TMPDIR) $$($(1)_SOURCES)
+	$$(trace-jar) jar cf $$($(1)_PATH) -C $$($(1)_TMPDIR) .
+	@rm -rf $$($(1)_TMPDIR)
+
+  $(1)_INSTALL_DIR ?= $$(libdir)/java
+
+  $(1)_INSTALL_PATH := $$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)/$$($(1)_NAME).jar
+
+  $$(eval $$(call install-file-as, $$($(1)_PATH), $$($(1)_INSTALL_PATH), 0644))
+
+  install: $$($(1)_INSTALL_PATH)
+
+  jars-list += $$($(1)_PATH)
+
+  clean-files += $$($(1)_PATH)
+
+endef
diff --git a/mk/lib.mk b/mk/lib.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6e02bc91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/lib.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+default: all
+
+
+# Get rid of default suffixes. FIXME: is this a good idea?
+.SUFFIXES:
+
+
+# Initialise some variables.
+bin-scripts :=
+noinst-scripts :=
+man-pages :=
+install-tests :=
+dist-files :=
+OS = $(shell uname -s)
+
+
+# Default installation paths.
+prefix ?= /usr/local
+libdir ?= $(prefix)/lib
+bindir ?= $(prefix)/bin
+libexecdir ?= $(prefix)/libexec
+datadir ?= $(prefix)/share
+localstatedir ?= $(prefix)/var
+sysconfdir ?= $(prefix)/etc
+mandir ?= $(prefix)/share/man
+
+
+# Pass -fPIC if we're building dynamic libraries.
+BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ?= 1
+
+ifeq ($(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS), 1)
+  GLOBAL_CFLAGS += -fPIC
+  GLOBAL_CXXFLAGS += -fPIC
+  ifneq ($(OS), Darwin)
+    GLOBAL_LDFLAGS += -Wl,--no-copy-dt-needed-entries
+  endif
+endif
+
+
+# Pass -g if we want debug info.
+BUILD_DEBUG ?= 1
+
+ifeq ($(BUILD_DEBUG), 1)
+  GLOBAL_CFLAGS += -g
+  GLOBAL_CXXFLAGS += -g
+  GLOBAL_JAVACFLAGS += -g
+endif
+
+
+include mk/functions.mk
+include mk/tracing.mk
+include mk/clean.mk
+include mk/install.mk
+include mk/libraries.mk
+include mk/programs.mk
+include mk/jars.mk
+include mk/patterns.mk
+include mk/templates.mk
+include mk/tests.mk
+
+
+# Include all sub-Makefiles.
+define include-sub-makefile =
+  d := $$(patsubst %/,%,$$(dir $(1)))
+  include $(1)
+endef
+
+$(foreach mf, $(makefiles), $(eval $(call include-sub-makefile, $(mf))))
+
+
+# Instantiate stuff.
+$(foreach lib, $(libraries), $(eval $(call build-library,$(lib))))
+$(foreach prog, $(programs), $(eval $(call build-program,$(prog))))
+$(foreach jar, $(jars), $(eval $(call build-jar,$(jar))))
+$(foreach script, $(bin-scripts), $(eval $(call install-program-in,$(script),$(bindir))))
+$(foreach script, $(bin-scripts), $(eval programs-list += $(script)))
+$(foreach script, $(noinst-scripts), $(eval programs-list += $(script)))
+$(foreach template, $(template-files), $(eval $(call instantiate-template,$(template))))
+$(foreach test, $(install-tests), $(eval $(call run-install-test,$(test))))
+$(foreach file, $(man-pages), $(eval $(call install-data-in, $(file), $(mandir)/man$(patsubst .%,%,$(suffix $(file))))))
+
+
+include mk/dist.mk
+
+
+.PHONY: default all man help
+
+all: $(programs-list) $(libs-list) $(jars-list) $(man-pages)
+
+man: $(man-pages)
+
+
+help:
+	@echo "The following targets are available:"
+	@echo ""
+	@echo "  default: Build default targets"
+ifdef man-pages
+	@echo "  man: Generate manual pages"
+endif
+	@$(print-top-help)
+ifdef programs-list
+	@echo ""
+	@echo "The following programs can be built:"
+	@echo ""
+	@for i in $(programs-list); do echo "  $$i"; done
+endif
+ifdef libs-list
+	@echo ""
+	@echo "The following libraries can be built:"
+	@echo ""
+	@for i in $(libs-list); do echo "  $$i"; done
+endif
+ifdef jars-list
+	@echo ""
+	@echo "The following JARs can be built:"
+	@echo ""
+	@for i in $(jars-list); do echo "  $$i"; done
+endif
+	@echo ""
+	@echo "The following variables control the build:"
+	@echo ""
+	@echo "  BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ($(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)): Whether to build shared libraries"
+	@echo "  BUILD_DEBUG ($(BUILD_DEBUG)): Whether to include debug symbols"
+	@echo "  CC ($(CC)): C compiler to be used"
+	@echo "  CFLAGS: Flags for the C compiler"
+	@echo "  CXX ($(CXX)): C++ compiler to be used"
+	@echo "  CXXFLAGS: Flags for the C++ compiler"
+	@$(print-var-help)
diff --git a/mk/libraries.mk b/mk/libraries.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6965325
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/libraries.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+libs-list :=
+
+ifeq ($(OS), Darwin)
+  SO_EXT = dylib
+else
+  SO_EXT = so
+endif
+
+# Build a library with symbolic name $(1).  The library is defined by
+# various variables prefixed by ‘$(1)_’:
+#
+# - $(1)_NAME: the name of the library (e.g. ‘libfoo’); defaults to
+#   $(1).
+#
+# - $(1)_DIR: the directory where the (non-installed) library will be
+#   placed.
+#
+# - $(1)_SOURCES: the source files of the library.
+#
+# - $(1)_CXXFLAGS: additional C++ compiler flags.
+#
+# - $(1)_LIBS: the symbolic names of other libraries on which this
+#   library depends.
+#
+# - $(1)_ALLOW_UNDEFINED: if set, the library is allowed to have
+#   undefined symbols.  Has no effect for static libraries.
+#
+# - $(1)_LDFLAGS: additional linker flags.
+#
+# - $(1)_LDFLAGS_PROPAGATED: additional linker flags, also propagated
+#   to the linking of programs/libraries that use this library.
+#
+# - $(1)_FORCE_INSTALL: if defined, the library will be installed even
+#   if it's not needed (i.e. dynamically linked) by a program.
+#
+# - $(1)_INSTALL_DIR: the directory where the library will be
+#   installed.  Defaults to $(libdir).
+#
+# - BUILD_SHARED_LIBS: if equal to ‘1’, a dynamic library will be
+#   built, otherwise a static library.
+define build-library =
+  $(1)_NAME ?= $(1)
+  _d := $$(strip $$($(1)_DIR))
+  _srcs := $$(sort $$(foreach src, $$($(1)_SOURCES), $$(src)))
+  $(1)_OBJS := $$(addsuffix .o, $$(basename $$(_srcs)))
+  _libs := $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_PATH))
+
+  $(1)_INSTALL_DIR ?= $$(libdir)
+
+  $(1)_LDFLAGS_USE :=
+  $(1)_LDFLAGS_USE_INSTALLED :=
+
+  ifeq ($(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS), 1)
+
+    ifdef $(1)_ALLOW_UNDEFINED
+      ifeq ($(OS), Darwin)
+        $(1)_LDFLAGS += -undefined suppress -flat_namespace
+      endif
+    else
+      ifneq ($(OS), Darwin)
+        $(1)_LDFLAGS += -Wl,-z,defs
+      endif
+    endif
+
+    $(1)_PATH := $$(_d)/$$($(1)_NAME).$(SO_EXT)
+
+    $$($(1)_PATH): $$($(1)_OBJS) $$(_libs)
+	$$(trace-ld) $(CXX) -o $$@ -shared $(GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) $$($(1)_OBJS) $$($(1)_LDFLAGS) $$($(1)_LDFLAGS_PROPAGATED) $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_LDFLAGS_USE))
+
+    $(1)_LDFLAGS_USE += -L$$(_d) -Wl,-rpath,$$(abspath $$(_d)) -l$$(patsubst lib%,%,$$(strip $$($(1)_NAME)))
+
+    $(1)_INSTALL_PATH := $$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)/$$($(1)_NAME).$(SO_EXT)
+
+    _libs_final := $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_INSTALL_PATH))
+
+    $$(eval $$(call create-dir,$$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)))
+
+    $$($(1)_INSTALL_PATH): $$($(1)_OBJS) $$(_libs_final) | $$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)
+	$$(trace-ld) $(CXX) -o $$@ -shared $(GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) $$($(1)_OBJS) $$($(1)_LDFLAGS) $$($(1)_LDFLAGS_PROPAGATED) $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_LDFLAGS_USE_INSTALLED))
+
+    $(1)_LDFLAGS_USE_INSTALLED += -L$$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR) -Wl,-rpath,$$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR) -l$$(patsubst lib%,%,$$(strip $$($(1)_NAME)))
+
+    ifdef $(1)_FORCE_INSTALL
+      install: $$($(1)_INSTALL_PATH)
+    endif
+
+  else
+
+    $(1)_PATH := $$(_d)/$$($(1)_NAME).a
+
+    $$($(1)_PATH): $$($(1)_OBJS)
+	$(trace-ar) ar crs $$@ $$?
+
+    $(1)_LDFLAGS_USE += $$($(1)_PATH) $$($(1)_LDFLAGS)
+
+    $(1)_INSTALL_PATH := $$(libdir)/$$($(1)_NAME).a
+
+  endif
+
+  $(1)_LDFLAGS_USE += $$($(1)_LDFLAGS_PROPAGATED)
+  $(1)_LDFLAGS_USE_INSTALLED += $$($(1)_LDFLAGS_PROPAGATED)
+
+  # Propagate CXXFLAGS to the individual object files.
+  $$(foreach obj, $$($(1)_OBJS), $$(eval $$(obj)_CXXFLAGS=$$($(1)_CXXFLAGS)))
+
+  # Make each object file depend on the common dependencies.
+  $$(foreach obj, $$($(1)_OBJS), $$(eval $$(obj): $$($(1)_COMMON_DEPS)))
+
+  # Include .dep files, if they exist.
+  $(1)_DEPS := $$(foreach fn, $$($(1)_OBJS), $$(call filename-to-dep, $$(fn)))
+  -include $$($(1)_DEPS)
+
+  libs-list += $$($(1)_PATH)
+  clean-files += $$(_d)/*.a $$(_d)/*.$(SO_EXT) $$(_d)/*.o $$(_d)/.*.dep $$($(1)_DEPS) $$($(1)_OBJS)
+  dist-files += $$(_srcs)
+endef
diff --git a/mk/patterns.mk b/mk/patterns.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f5674d40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/patterns.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+%.o: %.cc
+	$(trace-cxx) $(CXX) -o $@ -c $< $(GLOBAL_CXXFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) $($@_CXXFLAGS) -MMD -MF $(call filename-to-dep, $@) -MP
+
+%.o: %.cpp
+	$(trace-cxx) $(CXX) -o $@ -c $< $(GLOBAL_CXXFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) $($@_CXXFLAGS) -MMD -MF $(call filename-to-dep, $@) -MP
+
+%.o: %.c
+	$(trace-cc) $(CC) -o $@ -c $< $(GLOBAL_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $($@_CFLAGS) -MMD -MF $(call filename-to-dep, $@) -MP
diff --git a/mk/programs.mk b/mk/programs.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30539d12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/programs.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+programs-list :=
+
+# Build a program with symbolic name $(1).  The program is defined by
+# various variables prefixed by ‘$(1)_’:
+#
+# - $(1)_DIR: the directory where the (non-installed) program will be
+#   placed.
+#
+# - $(1)_SOURCES: the source files of the program.
+#
+# - $(1)_LIBS: the symbolic names of libraries on which this program
+#   depends.
+#
+# - $(1)_LDFLAGS: additional linker flags.
+#
+# - $(1)_INSTALL_DIR: the directory where the program will be
+#   installed; defaults to $(bindir).
+define build-program =
+  _d := $$($(1)_DIR)
+  _srcs := $$(sort $$(foreach src, $$($(1)_SOURCES), $$(src)))
+  $(1)_OBJS := $$(addsuffix .o, $$(basename $$(_srcs)))
+  _libs := $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_PATH))
+  $(1)_PATH := $$(_d)/$(1)
+
+  $$($(1)_PATH): $$($(1)_OBJS) $$(_libs)
+	$$(trace-ld) $(CXX) -o $$@ $(GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) $$($(1)_OBJS) $$($(1)_LDFLAGS) $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_LDFLAGS_USE))
+
+  $(1)_INSTALL_DIR ?= $$(bindir)
+  $(1)_INSTALL_PATH := $$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)/$(1)
+
+  $$(eval $$(call create-dir,$$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)))
+
+  install: $$($(1)_INSTALL_PATH)
+
+  ifeq ($(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS), 1)
+
+    _libs_final := $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_INSTALL_PATH))
+
+    $$($(1)_INSTALL_PATH): $$($(1)_OBJS) $$(_libs_final) | $$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)
+	$$(trace-ld) $(CXX) -o $$@ $(GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) $$($(1)_OBJS) $$($(1)_LDFLAGS) $$(foreach lib, $$($(1)_LIBS), $$($$(lib)_LDFLAGS_USE_INSTALLED))
+
+  else
+
+    $$($(1)_INSTALL_PATH): $$($(1)_PATH) | $$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR)
+	install -t $$($(1)_INSTALL_DIR) $$<
+
+  endif
+
+  # Propagate CXXFLAGS to the individual object files.
+  $$(foreach obj, $$($(1)_OBJS), $$(eval $$(obj)_CXXFLAGS=$$($(1)_CXXFLAGS)))
+
+  # Make each object file depend on the common dependencies.
+  $$(foreach obj, $$($(1)_OBJS), $$(eval $$(obj): $$($(1)_COMMON_DEPS)))
+
+  # Include .dep files, if they exist.
+  $(1)_DEPS := $$(foreach fn, $$($(1)_OBJS), $$(call filename-to-dep, $$(fn)))
+  -include $$($(1)_DEPS)
+
+  programs-list += $$($(1)_PATH)
+  clean-files += $$($(1)_PATH) $$(_d)/*.o $$(_d)/.*.dep $$($(1)_DEPS) $$($(1)_OBJS)
+  dist-files += $$(_srcs)
+endef
diff --git a/mk/templates.mk b/mk/templates.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d7b1034
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/templates.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+template-files :=
+
+# Create the file $(1) from $(1).in by running config.status (which
+# substitutes all ‘@var@’ variables set by the configure script).
+define instantiate-template =
+
+  clean-files += $(1)
+
+endef
+
+%: %.in
+	$(trace-gen) ./config.status --quiet --file $@
diff --git a/mk/tests.mk b/mk/tests.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..339abd58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/tests.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Run program $1 as part of ‘make installcheck’.
+define run-install-test =
+
+  installcheck: $1
+
+  # Run the test in its own directory to mimick Automake behaviour.
+  $1.run: $1 $(_PREV_TEST)
+
+  _installcheck-list += $1
+
+endef
+
+installcheck: install
+	@total=0; failed=0; for i in $(_installcheck-list); do \
+	  total=$$((total + 1)); \
+	  echo "running test $$i"; \
+	  if (cd $$(dirname $$i) && $(tests-environment) $$(basename $$i)); then \
+	    echo "PASS: $$i"; \
+	  else \
+	    echo "FAIL: $$i"; \
+	    failed=$$((failed + 1)); \
+	  fi; \
+	done; \
+	if [ "$$failed" != 0 ]; then \
+	  echo "$$failed out of $$total tests failed "; \
+	  exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+.PHONY: check installcheck
diff --git a/mk/tracing.mk b/mk/tracing.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..08c4ec10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mk/tracing.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+V ?= 0
+
+ifeq ($(V), 0)
+
+  trace-gen     = @echo "  GEN   " $@;
+  trace-cc      = @echo "  CC    " $@;
+  trace-cxx     = @echo "  CXX   " $@;
+  trace-ld      = @echo "  LD    " $@;
+  trace-ar      = @echo "  AR    " $@;
+  trace-install = @echo "  INST  " $@;
+  trace-javac   = @echo "  JAVAC " $@;
+  trace-jar     = @echo "  JAR   " $@;
+
+  suppress  = @
+
+endif