Creek Topics – Page 9 of 20

Mayan and Creek Similarities

Many, many suns ago, I was awarded a fellowship by Georgia Tech to spend a summer studying the indigenous architecture and town planning of Mesoamerica. The grant involved visiting all of the major archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. In addition, I was to photograph at least 2500 professional quality color slides for the Georgia Tech library. The education I received seemed only a little relevant to an architectural career in the United States, but it would make interesting conversation for dates and parties. Besides . . . Relaciones Exteriores (their State Department) let me ship home 125 kg … Read more

Hernando de Soto Expedition to Georgia

The earliest recorded visit of Europeans to the Georgia and North Carolina Mountains was in 1540. De Soto’s Conquistadors spent several summer weeks at the capital of Kvse (pronounced Kău-shĕ in Itsate-Creek, but known as Kusa in English.) Kvse means “forested mountains” in Itza Maya. Florida Indians told Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528 that the Apalachee People, who lived in the mountains many days to the north, mined and traded gold. The people, whom the Spanish called Apalache, called themselves the Palache, which is the Creek word for the Biloxi Indians. This is not general knowledge because the media has … Read more

The Migration Legend of the Kashita People

One of the many aspects of the contemporary Creek Indians that non-indigenous anthropologists seldom understand is that the Creeks are an assimilated people, composed of diverse ethnic groups, many of whom were originally enemies. The Itsate-speaking Creeks were the main players in the mound building business. However, they were decimated first by European diseases. and then by English sponsored slave raiders. By the early 1700s, the Muskogee-speaking minority were clustered in present day west-central Georgia and east-central Alabama. They were less affected by the holocausts that killed off 90-95% of the Itsate-speaking Creeks. The Muskogees came to dominate an alliance … Read more

Discerning Facts and Myths About Track Rock Gap

In general, Loubser treated Cherokee legends as possible facts, while not discussing Creek Indian traditions whatsoever. Loubser first described two interpretations of the stone ruins that were provided to him by the staff of the Eastern Band of Cherokee’s Cultural Heritage Preservation Office. Both interpreted the stone ruins as being burials. One version of this Cherokee legend is that the piles of stone at Track Rock Gap are the graves of great Cherokee warriors. There may be Cherokee burials at Track Rock Gap. However, no stone burial cairns are associated with any known Cherokee village sites in North Carolina or … Read more

Interpretation of the Track Rock Gap Petroglyphs

As a major portion of its professional services to the U.S. Forest Service in the year 2000, Stratum Unlimited, LLC prepared graytone renderings of the six main boulders at Track Rock Gap. These renderings will be of incalculable value to the citizens of the United States in the future. Because they remained exposed to the elements, the petroglyphs deteriorated at an accelerating pace in the early 21st century. Acidic rainwater is the primary culprit. The renderings of the Track Rock petroglyphs are presented on a website sponsored by the USFS. Johannes Loubser provided only generalized interpretation of the images on … Read more

Mysterious Fort Mountain, Georgia

When the Scottish, Ulster Scots and English settlers first arrived in eastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia, they discovered a continuous chain composed of hundreds of fieldstone structures on the mountain and hill tops between Manchester, TN and Stone Mountain, GA. Some were merely piles of stones that archaeologists call cairns. Others formed small cylinders. Others were small rings. Still others were complex combinations of concentric rings with some perpendicular walls. At least two appeared to be walled villages. The Cherokees, who had moved into the region during the late 1700s, told the settlers that they didn’t build these structures. Some … Read more

Other Missing Stone Archaeological Sites

Inexplicably, Loubser did not mention a major field stone structure complex in Union County that can be seen from the acropolis of the Track Rock terraces in his Appraisal of a Piled Stone Feature Complex report.. This archaeological zone is known as Fort Mountain. It is not the same site as Fort Mountain State Park in Murray County, GA. It is located at the edge of the Nottely River Valley in the Choestoe Community. The two sites align on the azimuth of the Winter Solstice sunset. The plaza of the acropolis is also aligned to this azimuth. Draw a line from … Read more

Track Rock Gap Archaeological Survey

In the year 2000 the district office of the U. S. Forest Service in Gainesville, GA contracted with South African archaeologist Johannes Loubser to study the Track Rock Petroglyphs. Loubser operates under the professional name of Stratum Unlimited, LLC. Loubser’s published paper on the Track Rock survey was co-authored by Dr. Douglas Frink of Worcester State College in Massachusetts. This article is a brief analysis of that survey.

The Track Rock Terrace Complex

In mid-July, a member of the Unicoi Turnpike Preservation Association, telephoned me after reading an article that I had written in the Examiner. That particular column was about archaeological sites in western North Carolina. He was also a member of the Towns County, GA Historical Society. The Union County-Towns County line runs across the peak of Brasstown Bald Mountain, which contains Georgia’s highest elevation. Brasstown Bald is immediately to the east of Track Rock Gap. The outdoor enthusiast was primarily interested in what I knew about the use of the Unicoi Turnpike during the Trail of Tears Period (1836-1838.) The … Read more

Pre Darmos Casada

An inscription on a rock on Hoopers Bald contains the late Medieval Castillian words “PRE DARMOS CASADA – SEP 15, 1615” and an inscription on a boulder at Track Rock Gap contains the name “Liube 1725” a Jewish name… the significance of these inscriptions in South East United States are identified in this article.

The Trail to Yupaha

An AccessGenealogy Exclusive: The Trail to Yupaha – Is Yupaha the Mayan connection to the Indians of the United States? This is a highly contentious look by Richard Thornton at the possibility of a trail he found in the Track Rock Gap area of Georgia being the connection to the Mayan of South America… The History Channel premiered it’s new show “American Unearthed” investigating this very issue. One of the people they interviewed on the show, now tells you in his own words, how this discovery all came about.

Treaty of August 9, 1814

Articles of agreement and capitulation, made and concluded this ninth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, between major general Andrew Jackson, on behalf of the President of the United States of America, and the chiefs, deputies, and warriors of the Creek Nation. WHEREAS an unprovoked, inhuman, and sanguinary war, waged by the hostile Creeks against the United States, hath been repelled, prosecuted and determined, successfully, on the part of the said States, in conformity with principles of national justice and honorable warfare– And whereas consideration is due to the rectitude of proceeding dictated by instructions relating to … Read more

Treaty of June 14, 1866

Treaty of cession and indemnity concluded at the city of Washington on the fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, by and between the United States, represented by Dennis N. Cooley, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Elija Sells, superintendent of Indian affairs for the southern superintendency, and Col. Ely S. Parker, special commissioner, and the Creek Nation of Indians, represented by Ok-tars-sars-harjo, or Sands; Cow-e-to-me-co and Che-chu-chee, delegates at large, and D. N. McIntosh and James Smith, special delegates of the Southern Creeks. Preamble. Whereas existing treaties between the United States and … Read more

1758, February 20, Letter to His Excellency

Sir Your Dispatches of the 18th and 30th tell I received the 18th Just –f. James Holmes, The lak Affair of Sam Binn is Intirely forgot, and the Indians all satisfy’d, As to the Tellico People Jean Denture to Afsure you Excellency that they are Entirely Reformed, and behave Ex treamly well, and (Thank God) we at present live in Great Harmony, and Friendship with all the Nation. On the 15th selt arrived at this Fort the Little Carpenter, and the Great Warriour of Chotta, with their Party, they brought with them, two French men, and the Twighvee Indian woman … Read more

1758, April 10, Fort Loudoun

Sir Lieut. Col. Honorth arrived here the 5th instant and deliver’d me a Letter from your Excellency. I am afraid he sha’nt carry but few Indians with him from these Towns, for great Many are gone Towards the Frence Fort, or to the North. On the 3rd instant a Gang of 21 Indians from Satico, (who went away from the Fort, the 9th ultimate) arrived here, they brought with them two Scalps, they did Stay Some time, and seeing no Presents, they went away dissatisfied. I have enquired since of a Man that has been with them at Satico if … Read more

1757, July 20, Fort Loudoun

Sir On the 15th Instant there was a great concorse of Indians of all the Towns at Chota Town houfe to hear the Talk that the two warriours Mefsengers from Old Hop, had brought from the Creeks, but it was nothing Like a Talk, it was only a friendly advise from the Creeks, to the Cherokees and Compliments from one to the other; when it was excepected other ways, the man killer of Tellico was present, if he has Said one word tending to the French I had peole enough there Ready to take his up & Shut his mouth, … Read more

1759, December 3, Fort Loudoun

Sir The Adjoyning was intended to have been Conveyed to your Excelency by some pack horsemen. Who sell out for the Settlements. The 22d Ultimate, but upon some Repost they heard at Heywafsee they thought proper to Return. It will now be delivered by Mr. Ellitot with whom the Little Carpenter Setts out with this day The Jealousy which has Long Subsisted between Old Hop and the Carpenter is come to am open quarell, the former having at a Meeting in Chote Town house, Lately, Accused the Carpenter of being Enemy to his Country, and a Servil dependent upon the … Read more

1759, August 1, An Indian Woman Called the buffolow

Skin/ who formerly gave Capt. Raymond Demere an Account o the Agreement between the Tellico people & the French at new Orlean’s, Wnet from this about two Months ago, in Company with Some Other’s on a Journey to the Creek Nation, & in there way Called at this new Settled place Ettuea, where they were Joind by the Mortar & his Gang & proceeded to that Nation & from thence to the French Fort, & being return’d gives the Following Account That when she was within two day’s Journey of the Elliqu_’s or the Hillobu’s a Creek town, in Company … Read more

1757, June 1, The Creek Nation

Dearest Friend, I hope your goodnefs will excuse the freedome of my Exprofsing my Self as it flows from a Sole truly sencible of the many remarcable Instances of friendship I havereed from you, A Detail of my trouble & misfortunes, can not be new to you as they must have reach’d your ears, before this time, The flights of ungovernd youth aded to my trouble of Leaveing Fort Loudoun Exageratied by the force of Excefsive Drinking at Theowee deprived me of my reason & has occasioned a misquidence in my Conduct which has thrown me into the utmost Trouble … Read more

1757, July 23, Fort Loudoun Letter 4

Sir When I began the Last Leter which I had the honour of writing to your excellency, I though nothing could be more certainly depended on than that all French Talks were forgotten and all their Machination Frustrated in this nation but before I had finished the mefsenger Sent by these people to the Creek nation returned, we found out that they had been with the Savannahs and at the Albama Fort, and we had reason to believe from the behaviour and Character of the persons who had been Employed on that Embafsie, that the mefsages they Carried and brought … Read more