Atasi, or Atassi: An Upper Creek Town
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Atasi was located twenty miles above the mouth of Coosa River on the east side of Tallapoosa river, below and adjoining Kalibi hatchi creek. It was a miserable-looking place in Hawkins’ time, with about 43 warriors in 1766.
Like that of all the other towns built on Tallapoosa river, below its falls, the site was low and unhealthy. The name is derived from the war-club (atassi), and was written Autossee, Ottossee, Otassee, Ot-tisse, etc.
A town in the Indian Territory is called after it A’tesi, its inhabitants Atesalgi. Bartram states that the town was inhabited by one gens only; this was the snake gens. “A post or column of pine, forty feet high, stood in the town of Autassee, on a low, circular, artificial hill.”
Bartram, Travels, p. 456. Cf. Hu‘li Wa’hli.