This chapter examines the concept of autochthony in the Caucasus as both a colonial construct and an anti-colonial tool. Russian imperial discourse reinterpreted autochthony to frame the peoples of the Caucasus as primordial yet ahistorical, thereby justifying their subjugation as part of a civilizational mission. In contrast, Georgian intellectuals reappropriated the concept to assert national and regional resistance, developing competing narratives of autochthonous belonging. Through an analysis of figures such as Ilia Chavchavadze, Rapiel Eristavi, and Alexandre Kazbegi, the study explores how autochthony was redefined through civic nationalism, affective nationalism, and pan-Caucasian solidarity. While these reinterpretations challenged Russian hegemony, they also introduced tensions between inclusive political identity and exclusionary nationalist discourse. This chapter contextualizes autochthony within broader imperial and decolonial struggles, highlighting its role in shaping historical memory, national identity, and regional conflict.