Skeleton crystals of Bi2S3 have been prepared via a solvothermal route using BiCl3 and anhydrous sodium sulfite as starting reagents. Transmission electron microscopy studies showed that the rod-based skeleton crystals have three-dimensional network morphologies. The influence of reaction time and the temperatures has been discussed. A possible growth mechanism was proposed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.