The effect of hydrostatic pressure (varying up to 91 kbar) at room temperature emission spectra and fluorescence lifetime of the Cr3+ R1 line (E-2 -> (4)A(2) transition) in tiospinel ZnAl2S4 was studied for the first time. The studies performed reveal the shift of the R1 line with increasing pressure. Such a red shift was accompanied by a significant change of the fluorescence lifetime, Both trends were Successfully explained by a simple model, which resulted in adequate agreement between the calculated and the observed. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.