Presents exploratory experiments with balsa using ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of the hydrogen proton to show areas of high water concentration. A piece of waterlogged wood from a 16th-century shipwreck was also examined. Anatomical features of the wood could be discerned, leading to the suggestion that it may be ash. It is concluded that the technique has great potential for noninvasive examination of the interior of waterlogged archaeological wood.