Studies of the influence of hydrostatic pressure up to 6500 kp/cm2 on the funda,mental absorption edge of eleven A2B4Cg-type compounds of chalcopyrite structure mere carried out at, room temperature. The large values of dE,/dP = (7.3 to 10.0) x eV kp-1 em2 were obtained for CdGeAs,, ZnSnAs,, ZnGeAs,, CdSnP,, CdSiAs,, ZnSnP,, CdGeP, (first group of crystals) and much smaller values -(--0.7 to +l.G) x eV kp-l cm, for ZnSiAs,, ZnGeP,, ZnSiP,, and CdSiP, (second group of crystals). The coniparison of these pressure coefficients with those of rl5-r1 and r15-X1 energy gaps in A3B5 compounds leads to t.he conclusion that the lowest conduction band minima in the first and second groups of X2B4C: crystals are rl and r, (or T, + TJ, respectively. This conclusion is in a good agreement with the calculated band structure of the investigated compounds and is confirmed by the studies of the slope of the fundamental absorption edge. The absorption edge of the first group of crystals is sharp due to the optical transitions I?, -+ rl (derived from lTI5 + rl in zincblende) and that of the second group of crystals is smooth and is caused by the transitions I?, -+ T3 or I ? , + T, + T, (both correspond to indirect transitions r15 -+ X, in zincblende).