Nanocrystalline　pyrochlore　AgSbO3　has　been　successfully　synthesized　by　a　facile　hydrothermal　method　and　was　fully　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　UV-vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy　(DRS),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM)　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS).　The　as-prepared　pyrochlore　AgSbO3　showed　a　higher　photocatalytic　activity　in　the　degradation　of　typical　dye　as　compared　to　that　prepared　by　the　solid-state　reaction.　The　photocatalytic　mechanism　of　pyrochlore　AgSbO3　and　its　stability　during　photocatalytic　reactions　was　investigated.　It　was　found　that　pyrochlore　AgSbO3　can　maintain　its　structure　stability　and　photocatalytic　activity　under　visible　light　irradiations　by　partial　formation　of　metallic　Ag　and　Ag2O　on　its　surface　during　the　photocatalytic　degradation　of　organic　pollutants.　This　study　provides　some　new　insights　into　the　photocatalytic　mechanism　of　Ag-based　multi-metal　oxide　photocatalysts.　©　2012　Elsevier　B.V.