Three new compounds, AgLnW 2 O 8 (Ln 3+ =Eu, Gd or Tb), have been prepared by a solid-state reaction and crystallize with a scheelite-related monoclinic symmetry. Their IR spectra show absorption transitions in the region 1000–400 cm -1 similar to KLnW 2 O 8 . Broad excitation and emission bands of the tungstate group with a large Stokes shift (12 573 cm -1 ) are observed in AgGdW 2 O 8 . Excitation and emission spectra of AgLnW 2 O 8 (Ln=Eu or Tb) show that energy transfer from tungstate to Eu and Tb occurs and that Eu 3+ ions occupy a unique crystallographic site with C 2 site symmetry.