Phase relations in the ternary oxide system Al 2 O 3 -V 2 O 5 -MoO 3 in the solid state in air have been investigated by using the x-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetric (DTA/TG) methods. It was confirmed that in the subsolidus area of the Al 2 O 3 -V 2 O 5 -MoO 3 system, there exist seven phases, that is Al 2 O 3 , V 2 O 5(s.s.) , MoO 3 , AlVO 4 , Al 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 , AlVMoO 7 , and V 9 Mo 6 O 40 . Seven fields, in which particular phases coexist at equilibrium, were isolated. The crystal structure of AlVO 4 has been refined from x-ray powder diffraction data. Its space group is triclinic, P " 1, Z = 6, with a = 0.65323 (1) nm, b = 0.77498(2) nm, c = 0.91233(3) nm, a = 96.175(2)°, b = 107.234(3)°, c = 101.404(3)°, V = 0.42555 nm 3 . The crystal structure of the compound is isotypic with FeVO 4 . Infrared (IR) spectra of AlVO 4 and FeVO 4 are compared.