A particular formulation of the three-dimensional finite-element method is established for the elastic-plastic analysis of a triangular pyramidal indentation. The triangular pyramidal indentation on 0. 46% carbon steel and 70 : 30 brass is analyzed by the proposed method using the stress-strain curve of the tensile test. The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results. It is shown that the loading portion of the calculated load-displacement curves can be correlated with Vickers hardness, and the unloading portion, with Young's modulus. The extension of the plastic zone induced by the indentation made by an indenter is investigated using the analysis.