On the basis of an analysis of indenter penetration diagrams some mechanical properties of surface layers of bulk AIIBVI compounds were investigated. These crystals were grown from the melt and vapour phase. Values of Young's modulus, activation volume of microindentation, parameter of hysteresis loss were determined. The analysis of the residual deformation during microindentation permitted to evaluate the degree of covalent bond “stiffness”. An original combination of the mechanical properties of the investigated crystals typical for metals, polymeric materials and glasses was discovered.