Abstract This review focuses on the recognition of volcanic ash occurrences in marine sediment cores and on using their appearance and properties to deduce their origin. Widespread marine tephra layers are important marker horizons for both volcanological as well as general geological investigations. We describe ash detection by visual inspection and logging of sediment cores. Ash layer structure and texture, particle morphologies and lithological compositions of primary volcanic deposits are summarized and processes modifying them are discussed, both natural processes acting on and in the seafloor, i.e. erosion and bioturbation, and anthropogenic modifications during drilling/coring and core preparation. We discuss primary emplacement processes of marine fall and flow tephra deposits derived from either subaerial or submarine sources in order to identify distinguishing properties. We also elaborate on processes generating secondary, resedimented volcaniclastic layers such as submarine landslides and shelf erosion as well as fluvial input and ice-rafting, and how they can be distinguished from primary volcaniclastic deposits, which is essential in tephrostratigraphy. Finally, methods of tephra correlation between cores and on-land deposits/volcanoes are illustrated because they allow us to extend the 1D information from single cores to 3D distribution and facies changes of tephras and to bridge the land–sea gap.