The Georgians are one of the most ancient peoples of the world. They have traversed a difficult path of historical development. Primitive man can be traced in Transcaucasia, particularly in Georgia, back to the most ancient period of the Paleolithic epoch. The most age-old traces, about 2,5 million years, are found in Eastern part of Georgia, near Dmanisi. Numerous implements from that period have been discovered in the basin of the river Qvirila. The Mousterian epoch (100 to 35 thousand years ago) saw vigorous population of the territory of Georgia, especially its Black Sea littoral and the Rioni-Qvirila basin (where Jruchi, Sagvarjile and Chakhati caves have been discovered). Settlement of this area was particularly intensive in the Late Paleolithic period, of which the most notable stations are at Deviskhvreli, Sakazhia, Sagvarjile, Samertskhle Kide, Gvarjilas Kldé, and elsewhere (35 to 10 thousand years ago). Quite numerous on the territory of Georgia are primitive man's cave stations of the Neolithic period: Odishi, Kistriki, Anaseuli, Zemo Alvani, etc.

The development of agriculture and cattle breeding, smelting of copper and bronze, general technical progress led, in the middle of the 4^th millennium B.C., to a breakthrough in the sphere of the economic and social life of society. The beginning of the 3^rd millennium B.C. laid the foundation of a new stage - the Bronze Age. This period in Georgia is marked by a high indigenous culture. It is to be noted that the Georgians were considered as forerunners of metallurgic - a Georgian tribe "Khalibs" were first, who have discovered metal and mastered in producing it. The Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages saw vigorous development of economy all over the territory of Georgia, along with a high level of various crafts, expansion of trade relations, accompanied by an increase of social inequality.

At the end of the 1^st millennium B.C. in the south-eastern region of historical Georgia two major tribal unions arose; that of the Diaochi (Taochi, Tao) and the Kolkha, both existing up to the 8^th century B.C. Ancient Georgian tribes and tribal unions had cultural relations with various peoples of the East: the Hittites, Mitanni, Urartians, etc. They maintained good neighborly relations with the Armenians and North Caucasian tribes. In the 8^th-7^th centuries B.C. the Karts, Megrels, Chans and Svans came to the fore among the Georgian tribes, each tribe having a language, territory and customs of its own. Later on these tribes united and as a result of their consolidation two state confederations took shape in Eastern and Western Georgia in the 6^th-4^th centuries B.C.