Strong absorption bands at 280, 385, and 640 nm; a pulsed cathodoluminescence band with peaks at 325 and 520 nm and a dip at 385 nm; and a structured luminescence band in the range of 591-711 nm com posed of four pair lines and having a dip near 640 nm have been observed in the spectra of yttrium-aluminum garnet ceramics activated with ytterbium (10 mol %) and subjected to vacuum sintering at a temperature of 1800°C. It is shown that these spectral features are absorption and luminescence bands of divalent ytterbium ions with the 4 f 13 6s electron configuration of the ground state. These ions occupy the cubic site that is formed under conditions of oxygen deficit and disappears when the latter is removed during annealing ceramics in air.