Autochthones (from
Ancient Greek autos "self," and
khthon "soil"; i.e. "people sprung from earth itself") are the original inhabitants of a country as opposed to settlers, and those of their descendants who kept themselves free from an admixture of foreign peoples. In mythology, autochthones are those mortals who have sprung from the soil, rocks and trees. They are rooted and belong to the land eternally.