diff --git a/Readme.md b/Readme.md
index e0edc46c35..2ae9c1286d 100644
--- a/Readme.md
+++ b/Readme.md
@@ -507,6 +507,9 @@ $.dom()
 //   }]
 ```
 
+#### $.contains( container, contained )
+Checks to see if the `contained` DOM element is a descendent of the `container` DOM element.
+
 #### $.isArray( array )
 Checks to see the passed argument is an array.
 
diff --git a/lib/static.js b/lib/static.js
index 080ea1daee..278969bd39 100644
--- a/lib/static.js
+++ b/lib/static.js
@@ -71,3 +71,25 @@ var text = exports.text = function(elems) {
 var root = exports.root = function() {
   return this(this._root);
 };
+
+/**
+ * $.contains()
+ */
+var contains = exports.contains = function(container, contained) {
+
+  // According to the jQuery API, an element does not "contain" itself
+  if (contained === container) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Step up the descendents, stopping when the root element is reached
+  // (signaled by `.parent` returning a reference to the same object)
+  while (contained && contained !== contained.parent) {
+    contained = contained.parent;
+    if (contained === container) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false;
+};
diff --git a/test/fixtures.js b/test/fixtures.js
index e62e68df9e..41bc1fc0ea 100644
--- a/test/fixtures.js
+++ b/test/fixtures.js
@@ -12,3 +12,10 @@ exports.vegetables = [
     '<li>Sweetcorn</li>',
   '</ul>'
 ].join('');
+
+exports.food = [
+  '<ul id="food">',
+    exports.fruits,
+    exports.vegetables,
+  '</ul>'
+].join('');
diff --git a/test/utilities.js b/test/utilities.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..841716652c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/utilities.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+var expect = require('expect.js'),
+    $ = require('../'),
+    food = require('./fixtures').food;
+
+describe('utility methods', function() {
+
+  describe('.contains', function() {
+
+    it('(container, contained) : should correctly detect the provided element', function() {
+      var $food = $(food);
+      var $fruits = $food.find('#fruits');
+      var $apple = $fruits.find('.apple');
+
+      expect($.contains($food[0], $fruits[0])).to.equal(true);
+      expect($.contains($food[0], $apple[0])).to.equal(true);
+    });
+
+    it('(container, other) : should not detect elements that are not contained', function() {
+      var $food = $(food);
+      var $fruits = $food.find('#fruits');
+      var $vegetables = $food.find('#vegetables');
+      var $apple = $fruits.find('.apple');
+
+      expect($.contains($vegetables[0], $apple[0])).to.equal(false);
+      expect($.contains($fruits[0], $vegetables[0])).to.equal(false);
+      expect($.contains($vegetables[0], $fruits[0])).to.equal(false);
+      expect($.contains($fruits[0], $fruits[0])).to.equal(false);
+      expect($.contains($vegetables[0], $vegetables[0])).to.equal(false);
+    });
+
+  });
+
+});