Hertzian indentation tests with sphere indenters were used to study the mechanical properties of glass-in-filtrated alumina and spinel composites and evaluated the effect of preform microstructure and evaluated the effect of preform microstructure and glass con-tents on contanct damage and strength. The spinel composite showed more brittle behavior than the alumina composite which is verified from indentation stress-strain curve cone cracks and quasi-plastic deformation developed at subsurface. Failure originated from either cone cracks(brittle mode) or deformation zone(quasi-plastic mode) above critical load for cracking(Pc) and yield ({{{{ {P }_{Y } }}) with the brittle mode more dominant in the spinels and the quasi-plastic mode more dominant in the aluminas. Even though brittle mode was dominant in the spinel composites the strength degradation from accumulation of damage above these critical loads was conspicuously small suggesting that the glass-infiltrated composites should be highly damage tolerant to the blunt contacts.