diff --git a/runtime/syntax/xpm.vim b/runtime/syntax/xpm.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4cbda82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/syntax/xpm.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+" Vim syntax file
+" Language:	X Pixmap
+" Maintainer:	Ronald Schild <rs@scutum.de>
+" Last Change:	2001 May 09
+" Version:	5.4n.1
+
+" For version 5.x: Clear all syntax items
+" For version 6.x: Quit when a syntax file was already loaded
+if version < 600
+  syntax clear
+elseif exists("b:current_syntax")
+  finish
+endif
+
+syn keyword xpmType		char
+syn keyword xpmStorageClass	static
+syn keyword xpmTodo		TODO FIXME XXX  contained
+syn region  xpmComment		start="/\*"  end="\*/"  contains=xpmTodo
+syn region  xpmPixelString	start=+"+  skip=+\\\\\|\\"+  end=+"+  contains=@xpmColors
+
+if has("gui_running")
+
+let color  = ""
+let chars  = ""
+let colors = 0
+let cpp    = 0
+let n      = 0
+let i      = 1
+
+while i <= line("$")		" scanning all lines
+
+   let s = matchstr(getline(i), '".\{-1,}"')
+   if s != ""			" does line contain a string?
+
+      if n == 0			" first string is the Values string
+
+	 " get the 3rd value: colors = number of colors
+	 let colors = substitute(s, '"\s*\d\+\s\+\d\+\s\+\(\d\+\).*"', '\1', '')
+	 " get the 4th value: cpp = number of character per pixel
+	 let cpp = substitute(s, '"\s*\d\+\s\+\d\+\s\+\d\+\s\+\(\d\+\).*"', '\1', '')
+
+	 " highlight the Values string as normal string (no pixel string)
+	 exe 'syn match xpmValues /'.s.'/'
+	 hi link xpmValues String
+
+	 let n = 1		" n = color index
+
+      elseif n <= colors	" string is a color specification
+
+	 " get chars = <cpp> length string representing the pixels
+	 " (first incl. the following whitespace)
+	 let chars = substitute(s, '"\(.\{'.cpp.'}\s\).*"', '\1', '')
+
+	 " now get color, first try 'c' key if any (color visual)
+	 let color = substitute(s, '".*\sc\s\+\(.\{-}\)\s*\(\(g4\=\|[ms]\)\s.*\)*\s*"', '\1', '')
+	 if color == s
+	    " no 'c' key, try 'g' key (grayscale with more than 4 levels)
+	    let color = substitute(s, '".*\sg\s\+\(.\{-}\)\s*\(\(g4\|[ms]\)\s.*\)*\s*"', '\1', '')
+	    if color == s
+	       " next try: 'g4' key (4-level grayscale)
+	       let color = substitute(s, '".*\sg4\s\+\(.\{-}\)\s*\([ms]\s.*\)*\s*"', '\1', '')
+	       if color == s
+		  " finally try 'm' key (mono visual)
+		  let color = substitute(s, '".*\sm\s\+\(.\{-}\)\s*\(s\s.*\)*\s*"', '\1', '')
+		  if color == s
+		     let color = ""
+		  endif
+	       endif
+	    endif
+	 endif
+
+	 " Vim cannot handle RGB codes with more than 6 hex digits
+	 if color =~ '#\x\{10,}$'
+	    let color = substitute(color, '\(\x\x\)\x\x', '\1', 'g')
+	 elseif color =~ '#\x\{7,}$'
+	    let color = substitute(color, '\(\x\x\)\x', '\1', 'g')
+	 " nor with 3 digits
+	 elseif color =~ '#\x\{3}$'
+	    let color = substitute(color, '\(\x\)\(\x\)\(\x\)', '0\10\20\3', '')
+	 endif
+
+	 " escape meta characters in patterns
+	 let s = escape(s, '/\*^$.~[]')
+	 let chars = escape(chars, '/\*^$.~[]')
+
+	 " now create syntax items
+	 " highlight the color string as normal string (no pixel string)
+	 exe 'syn match xpmCol'.n.'Def /'.s.'/ contains=xpmCol'.n.'inDef'
+	 exe 'hi link xpmCol'.n.'Def String'
+
+	 " but highlight the first whitespace after chars in its color
+	 exe 'syn match xpmCol'.n.'inDef /"'.chars.'/hs=s+'.(cpp+1).' contained'
+	 exe 'hi link xpmCol'.n.'inDef xpmColor'.n
+
+	 " remove the following whitespace from chars
+	 let chars = substitute(chars, '.$', '', '')
+
+	 " and create the syntax item contained in the pixel strings
+	 exe 'syn match xpmColor'.n.' /'.chars.'/ contained'
+	 exe 'syn cluster xpmColors add=xpmColor'.n
+
+	 " if no color or color = "None" show background
+	 if color == ""  ||  substitute(color, '.*', '\L&', '') == 'none'
+	    exe 'hi xpmColor'.n.' guifg=bg'
+	    exe 'hi xpmColor'.n.' guibg=NONE'
+	 else
+	    exe 'hi xpmColor'.n." guifg='".color."'"
+	    exe 'hi xpmColor'.n." guibg='".color."'"
+	 endif
+	 let n = n + 1
+      else
+	 break		" no more color string
+      endif
+   endif
+   let i = i + 1
+endwhile
+
+unlet color chars colors cpp n i s
+
+endif		" has("gui_running")
+
+" Define the default highlighting.
+" For version 5.7 and earlier: only when not done already
+" For version 5.8 and later: only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
+if version >= 508 || !exists("did_xpm_syntax_inits")
+  if version < 508
+    let did_xpm_syntax_inits = 1
+    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi link <args>
+  else
+    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
+  endif
+
+  HiLink xpmType		Type
+  HiLink xpmStorageClass	StorageClass
+  HiLink xpmTodo		Todo
+  HiLink xpmComment		Comment
+  HiLink xpmPixelString	String
+
+  delcommand HiLink
+endif
+
+let b:current_syntax = "xpm"
+
+" vim: ts=8:sw=3:noet: