diff --git a/lib/oga/xpath/evaluator.rb b/lib/oga/xpath/evaluator.rb
index a112d04..9d4df4b 100644
--- a/lib/oga/xpath/evaluator.rb
+++ b/lib/oga/xpath/evaluator.rb
@@ -328,6 +328,32 @@ module Oga
         return nodes
       end
 
+      ##
+      # Evaluates the `preceding` axis.
+      #
+      # @param [Oga::XPath::Node] ast_node
+      # @param [Oga::XML::NodeSet] context
+      # @return [Oga::XML::NodeSet]
+      #
+      def on_axis_preceding(ast_node, context)
+        nodes = XML::NodeSet.new
+
+        context.each do |context_node|
+          check = true
+
+          @document.each_node do |doc_node|
+            # Test everything *until* we hit the current context node.
+            if doc_node == context_node
+              break
+            elsif node_matches?(doc_node, ast_node)
+              nodes << doc_node
+            end
+          end
+        end
+
+        return nodes
+      end
+
       ##
       # Returns a node set containing all the child nodes of the given set of
       # nodes.
diff --git a/spec/oga/xpath/evaluator/axes/preceding_spec.rb b/spec/oga/xpath/evaluator/axes/preceding_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a87d9f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/oga/xpath/evaluator/axes/preceding_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe Oga::XPath::Evaluator do
+  context 'preceding axis' do
+    before do
+      @document = parse(<<-EOF.strip.gsub(/\s+/m, ''))
+<root>
+  <foo>
+    <bar></bar>
+    <baz>
+      <baz></baz>
+    </baz>
+  </foo>
+  <baz></baz>
+</root>
+      EOF
+
+      @first_foo  = @document.children[0].children[0]
+      @first_bar  = @first_foo.children[0]
+      @first_baz  = @first_foo.children[1]
+      @second_baz = @first_baz.children[0]
+      @evaluator  = described_class.new(@document)
+    end
+
+    context 'matching nodes in the current context' do
+      before do
+        @set = @evaluator.evaluate('root/foo/baz/preceding::bar')
+      end
+
+      it_behaves_like :node_set, :length => 1
+
+      example 'return the first <bar> node' do
+        @set[0].should == @first_bar
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'matching nodes in other contexts' do
+      before do
+        @set = @evaluator.evaluate('root/baz/preceding::baz')
+      end
+
+      it_behaves_like :node_set, :length => 2
+
+      example 'return the first <baz> node' do
+        @set[0].should == @first_baz
+      end
+
+      example 'return the second <baz> node' do
+        @set[1].should == @second_baz
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end