PURPOSE: To attain the high-speed retrieval of an image by continuously supplying a part of hierarchical code data concerning the hierarchically encoded data supplying device for continuously supplying the hierarchically encoded data of multilevel images hierarchically encoded so as to restore the images stepwise.

CONSTITUTION: The code data such as the code data of a first hierarchy to be next supplied from a hierarchical code data storage part 1 are previously held temporally in a hierarchical code data holding means 2. When the request of the code data in the first hierarchy of the next image is received, a supply control means 3 reads and supplies the code data in the first hierarchy of the next image from the hierarchical code data holding means 2. Since the speed of the hierarchical code data holding means 2 is high, heading data are supplied at high speed to the outside by the temporally read out and supply of the hierarchical code data, and a decoder can immediately receive the heading data and restore the data without providing the waiting time of seek, etc., for reading the data.