diff --git a/meshmode/mesh/tesselate.py b/meshmode/mesh/tesselate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..8830a93e17e8dd43b69112d51327a54d943a1d1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meshmode/mesh/tesselate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+from pytools import generate_nonnegative_integer_tuples_summing_to_at_most \
+    as gnitstam
+
+node_tuples = list(gnitstam(2, 2))
+node_dict = dict(
+      (ituple, idx)
+      for idx, ituple in enumerate(node_tuples))
+
+def add_tuples(a, b):
+  return tuple(ac+bc for ac, bc in zip(a, b))
+
+def try_add_tri(current, d1, d2, d3):
+  try:
+      result.append((
+          node_dict[add_tuples(current, d1)],
+          node_dict[add_tuples(current, d2)],
+          node_dict[add_tuples(current, d3)],
+          ))
+  except KeyError:
+      pass
+
+result = []
+def tesselatetri():
+    for current in node_tuples:
+        # this is a tesselation of a cube into six tets.
+        # subtets that fall outside of the master tet are simply not added.
+
+        # positively oriented
+        try_add_tri(current, (0, 0), (1, 0), (0, 1))
+        try_add_tri(current, (1, 0), (1, 1), (0, 1))
+    return [node_tuples, result]
+#tesselatetri()
+#print node_tuples
+#print result