diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/AbstractConverter.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/AbstractConverter.java
index 038c81e52..4cb019023 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/AbstractConverter.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/AbstractConverter.java
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
  */
 package org.apache.aut.converter;
 
-import java.util.Map;
 import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.ResourceManager;
 import org.apache.avalon.excalibur.i18n.Resources;
 
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractConverter
      */
     public Object convert( final Class destination,
                            final Object original,
-                           final Map context )
+                           final ConverterContext context )
         throws ConverterException
     {
         if( m_destination != destination )
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractConverter
      * @return the converted object
      * @exception ConverterException if an error occurs
      */
-    protected abstract Object convert( Object original, Map context )
+    protected abstract Object convert( Object original, ConverterContext context )
         throws ConverterException;
 }
 
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/Converter.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/Converter.java
index 166da6c50..ac2b7b52d 100644
--- a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/Converter.java
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/Converter.java
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ public interface Converter
      * @return the converted object
      * @exception ConverterException if an error occurs
      */
-    Object convert( Class destination, Object original, Map context )
+    Object convert( Class destination, Object original, ConverterContext context )
         throws ConverterException;
 }
diff --git a/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/ConverterContext.java b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/ConverterContext.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0369d127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/proposal/myrmidon/src/java/org/apache/aut/converter/ConverterContext.java
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) The Apache Software Foundation. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This software is published under the terms of the Apache Software License
+ * version 1.1, a copy of which has been included with this distribution in
+ * the LICENSE.txt file.
+ */
+package org.apache.aut.converter;
+
+/**
+ * The context in which objects can be converted from one type to another type.
+ *
+ * @author <a href="mailto:peter@apache.org">Peter Donald</a>
+ * @version $Revision$ $Date$
+ * @ant:role shorthand="converter"
+ */
+public interface ConverterContext
+{
+    /**
+     * Retrieve a vlaue from the context with the specified key.
+     * Will return null if no such value exists.
+     */
+    Object get( Object key );
+}