Summer internship helps AUM junior discover passion for archaeology

The first time Auburn University at Montgomery junior Gabrielle “Ren” Dawson stepped onto the grounds of Old Cahawba Archaeological Park for her summer internship, she knew she was embarking on a learning experience unlike anything she had encountered in a classroom laboratory.

“I had no prior experience in field archaeology. I’d only done the lab side of things,” said Dawson, an interdisciplinary study major with a minor in anthropology. “It was an excellent way to learn on the job and see if it was something I would want to pursue.”

At the recommendation of her professor and mentor LisaMarie Malischke, an assistant professor of anthropology who specializes in archaeology, Dawson spent the summer working as a crew chief for first phase excavations at the Dallas County-based archaeological park.

During the internship, Dawson gained hands-on experience in wide range of archaeological practices, including flagging shovel test pits for students, conducting field surveys and identifying, cleaning and processing artifacts. She also participated in workshops on photogrammetry and geographic information system (GIS) mapping and helped researchers examine culturally significant flora for clues that could indicate possible unmarked grave locations.

“The work is hot, strenuous and exhausting, but this summer taught me a lot about field practices and techniques and also led to some character development,” Dawson said.  “Something that I heard several times throughout the program from students, staff and even potential employers is that the job is so much easier when people can keep a good attitude.”

Dawson also participated in two Public Archaeology Days, giving members of the community an opportunity to join her excavation team and experience archaeological fieldwork firsthand.

Among artifacts uncovered by Dawson’s team was a bell-shaped objecting that may have originated from the area across the street from the site, where Bell Tavern once stood.

“Another find was a lithic that dated to the Late Middle Woodland Period, around 500 B.C. to A.D. 800, which predates the projected date of earliest occupation,” Dawson said. “It does not prove that there were people living there that early, but it suggests people were at least passing by.”

The research Dawson and her team conducted during workshops and in the field will be presented by the group at the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in November.

“The entire experience was life changing,” Dawson said. “I learned not only about the history behind the Old Cahawba Archaeological site but about some of the people that lived there and how the space has been used by different groups over such a short amount of time. It truly is a wonder, and I can’t recommend enough for everyone to check it out!”

Dawson is expected to graduate in Spring 2028. While she is still exploring where her career will take her, her summer at Old Cahawba has given her a clearer idea of what she hopes to pursue after graduation.

“I’m not fully sure where I’ll end up, but after graduation I intend to jump back into the archaeological field,” she said. “If it somehow becomes possible, I’d love to return to Old Cahawba and continue learning whatever it’s willing to teach me.”