diff --git a/modules/septima-lang/README.md b/modules/septima-lang/README.md
index 67a0907a..e373657e 100644
--- a/modules/septima-lang/README.md
+++ b/modules/septima-lang/README.md
@@ -324,6 +324,27 @@ Array.isArray('not array') // Returns false
 Array.isArray({ key: 'val' }) // Returns false
 ```
 
+#### Cryptographic Hashing
+
+Septima provides a secure hashing function through the `crypto.hash224()` method, which computes SHA-224 hashes of any value. The method takes a single argument of any type and returns a hexadecimal string representing the hash.
+
+```javascript
+// Hash a simple string
+crypto.hash224('hello') // Returns a 56-character hex string
+
+// Hash numbers
+crypto.hash224(42) // Hashes the number 42
+
+// Hash complex objects
+crypto.hash224({ name: 'Alice', roles: ['admin', 'user'], settings: { theme: 'dark' } }) // Hashes the entire object structure
+
+// Hashes are deterministic but unique per input
+crypto.hash224('A') === crypto.hash224('A') // true (same input = same hash)
+crypto.hash224('A') !== crypto.hash224('B') // true (different input = different hash)
+```
+
+Note: Septima's `crypto` object is not intended to be compatible with Node.js's `crypto` module. It provides its own simplified cryptographic utilities specifically designed for Septima's use cases.
+
 ### Console Output for Debugging
 
 Like JavaScript, Septima provides `console.log()` for debugging and monitoring your code. However, unlike JavaScript's `console.log()` which can take multiple arguments, Septima's version accepts only a single argument. In keeping with Septima's functional nature, `console.log()` returns its argument, making it useful within expressions.
diff --git a/modules/septima-lang/change-log.md b/modules/septima-lang/change-log.md
index ba7a0ac5..c7d3935a 100644
--- a/modules/septima-lang/change-log.md
+++ b/modules/septima-lang/change-log.md
@@ -39,3 +39,7 @@
 ### PR/174
 
 - allow a dangling comma after last formal arg of an arrow function `(a,b,) => a + b`
+
+### PR/176
+
+- allow computing hash values: `crypto.hash224({a: 1, b: 2})`
diff --git a/modules/septima-lang/src/runtime.ts b/modules/septima-lang/src/runtime.ts
index a76a5515..2131d6d5 100644
--- a/modules/septima-lang/src/runtime.ts
+++ b/modules/septima-lang/src/runtime.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import crypto from 'crypto'
+
 import { AstNode, show, Unit, UnitId } from './ast-node'
 import { extractMessage } from './extract-message'
 import { failMe } from './fail-me'
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ export class Runtime {
     })
 
     const parse = Value.foreign(o => JSON.parse(o.toString()))
+    const hash224 = Value.foreign(o => crypto.createHash('sha224').update(JSON.stringify(o.unwrap())).digest('hex'))
 
     let lib = new SymbolFrame('Object', { destination: Value.obj({ keys, entries, fromEntries }) }, empty, 'INTERNAL')
     lib = new SymbolFrame('String', { destination: Value.foreign(o => Value.str(o.toString())) }, lib, 'INTERNAL')
@@ -105,6 +108,7 @@ export class Runtime {
     lib = new SymbolFrame('Array', { destination: Value.obj({ isArray }) }, lib, 'INTERNAL')
     lib = new SymbolFrame('console', { destination: Value.obj({ log }) }, lib, 'INTERNAL')
     lib = new SymbolFrame('JSON', { destination: Value.obj({ parse }) }, lib, 'INTERNAL')
+    lib = new SymbolFrame('crypto', { destination: Value.obj({ hash224 }) }, lib, 'INTERNAL')
 
     if (generateTheArgsObject) {
       lib = new SymbolFrame('args', { destination: Value.from(this.args) }, lib, 'INTERNAL')
diff --git a/modules/septima-lang/tests/septima.spec.ts b/modules/septima-lang/tests/septima.spec.ts
index bc26e557..ccb200f9 100644
--- a/modules/septima-lang/tests/septima.spec.ts
+++ b/modules/septima-lang/tests/septima.spec.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import crypto from 'crypto'
+
 import { Septima } from '../src/septima'
 
 /**
@@ -1013,6 +1015,22 @@ describe('septima', () => {
       expect(run(`JSON.parse(5000)`)).toEqual(5000)
     })
   })
+  describe('hash224', () => {
+    const hashOf = (u: unknown) => crypto.createHash('sha224').update(JSON.stringify(u)).digest('hex')
+    test('can compute hash values of strings', () => {
+      expect(run(`crypto.hash224('A')`)).toEqual(hashOf('A'))
+    })
+    test('can compute hash values of complex objects', () => {
+      expect(run(`crypto.hash224({a: 1, b: [{x: 'X'}, ["Y"]]})`)).toEqual(hashOf({ a: 1, b: [{ x: 'X' }, ['Y']] }))
+    })
+    test('the hash changes when the input changes', () => {
+      expect(run(`crypto.hash224(110002)`)).toEqual(hashOf(110002))
+      expect(run(`crypto.hash224(110003)`)).toEqual(hashOf(110003))
+      // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/consistent-type-assertions
+      const [h1, h2] = run(`[crypto.hash224(110002), crypto.hash224(110003)]`) as string[]
+      expect(h1).not.toEqual(h2)
+    })
+  })
   test.todo('sort') // expect(run(`[4, 10, 9, 256, 5, 300, 2, 70].sort()`)).toEqual('--')
   test.todo('support file names in locations')
   test.todo('string interpolation via `foo` strings')