New AB2X2--compounds, BaZn2P2 and BaZn2As2, were prepared. The structures were determined by X-ray methods. In the case of BaZn2P2 (S.G. I4/mmm; a = 4.019 Å, c = 13.228 Å) layers of edgeshared ZnP4-tetrahedra alternate with Ba-layers; in the case of BaZn2As2 (S.G. Pnma; a = 10.010 Å, b = 4.246 Å, c = 10.910 Å) Zn and As build a 3D-network of edge and vertex shared tetrahedra with Ba in the holes of this network