diff --git a/lib/duby/ast/literal.rb b/lib/duby/ast/literal.rb
index 4c8e9ac..b5764fe 100644
--- a/lib/duby/ast/literal.rb
+++ b/lib/duby/ast/literal.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ module Duby::AST
     def initialize(parent, line_number, &block)
       super(parent, line_number, &block)
     end
+
+    def infer(typer)
+      @inferred_type = typer.array_type
+    end
   end
   
   class Fixnum < Node
diff --git a/lib/duby/compiler.rb b/lib/duby/compiler.rb
index 54a2b2f..e3d35b2 100644
--- a/lib/duby/compiler.rb
+++ b/lib/duby/compiler.rb
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ module Duby
         end
       end
     end
+
+    class Array
+      def compile(compiler, expression)
+        compiler.array(self, expression)
+      end
+    end
     
     class Body
       def compile(compiler, expression)
diff --git a/lib/duby/jvm/compiler.rb b/lib/duby/jvm/compiler.rb
index d7a528c..9758bab 100644
--- a/lib/duby/jvm/compiler.rb
+++ b/lib/duby/jvm/compiler.rb
@@ -556,6 +556,32 @@ module Duby
       def boolean(value)
         value ? @method.iconst_1 : @method.iconst_0
       end
+
+      def array(node, expression)
+        if expression
+          @method.new java::util::ArrayList
+          @method.dup
+          @method.ldc_int node.children ? node.children.size : 0
+          @method.swap
+          @method.invokespecial java::util::ArrayList, "<init>", [@method.void, @method.int]
+          @method.invokestatic java::util::Collections, "unmodifiableList", [java::util::List, java::util::List]
+
+          # elements, as expressions
+          # TODO: ensure they're all reference types!
+          node.children.each do |node|
+            @method.dup
+            node.compile(self, true)
+            @method.invokeinterface java::util::List, "add", [@method.boolean, @method.object]
+            @method.pop
+          end
+        else
+          # elements, as non-expressions
+          # TODO: ensure they're all reference types!
+          node.children.each do |node|
+            node.compile(self, false)
+          end
+        end
+      end
       
       def null
         @method.aconst_null
diff --git a/lib/duby/jvm/typer.rb b/lib/duby/jvm/typer.rb
index c65e69b..85b8b1c 100644
--- a/lib/duby/jvm/typer.rb
+++ b/lib/duby/jvm/typer.rb
@@ -42,6 +42,16 @@ module Duby
       def no_type
         Void
       end
+
+      def array_type
+        # TODO: allow other types for pre-1.2 profiles
+        type_reference("java.util.List")
+      end
+
+      def hash_type
+        # TODO: allow other types for pre-1.2 profiles
+        type_reference("java.util.Map")
+      end
       
       def learn_method_type(target_type, name, parameter_types, type, exceptions)
         static = target_type.meta?
diff --git a/lib/duby/typer.rb b/lib/duby/typer.rb
index 2d66b4a..8f1cf90 100644
--- a/lib/duby/typer.rb
+++ b/lib/duby/typer.rb
@@ -79,6 +79,16 @@ module Duby
         AST::TypeReference::NoType
       end
 
+      # to be overridden
+      def array_type
+        AST::TypeReference::NullType
+      end
+
+      # to be overridden
+      def hash_type
+        AST::TypeReference::NullType
+      end
+
       def define_type(name, superclass, interfaces)
         log "New type defined: '#{name}' < '#{superclass}'"
         known_types[name] = type_definition(name, superclass, interfaces)