To evaluate a model of the travel-route selection process for upper Ohio Valley Paleoindian foragers (13,500–11,400 cal BP), this study investigates archaeological data through the theoretical framework of landscape learning and risk-sensitive analysis. Following initial trail placement adjacent to a highly visible escarpment landform, Paleoindians adopted a risk-averse strategy to minimize travel outcome variability when wayfaring between Sandy Springs, a significant Ohio River Paleoindian site, and Upper Mercer–Vanport chert quarries of east-central Ohio. Although a least-cost analysis indicates an optimal route through the lower Scioto Valley, archaeological evidence for this path is lacking. Geomorphic and archaeological data further suggest that site absence in the lower Scioto Valley is not entirely due to sampling bias. Instead, evidence indicates that Paleoindians preferred travel within the Ohio Brush Creek–Baker's Fork valley despite its longer path distance through more rugged, constricted terrain. Potential travel through the lower Scioto Valley hypothesizes high outcome variability due to the stochastic nature of the late Pleistocene hydroregime. In this case, perceived outcome variability appears more influential in determining travel-route decisions among Paleoindians than direct efforts to reduce energy and time allocation.

中文翻译：

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未选择的路：早期景观学习和风险规避策略的采用如何影响俄亥俄河上游河谷的古印第安人旅行路线决策

为了评估俄亥俄河谷上游古印第安觅食者（13,500–11,400 cal BP）的旅行路线选择过程模型，本研究通过景观学习和风险敏感分析的理论框架调查了考古数据。在最初将步道放置在高度可见的悬崖地形附近之后，古印第安人采用了一种规避风险的策略，以尽量减少在桑迪斯普林斯（俄亥俄河古印第安人的重要遗址）和俄亥俄州中东部的上默瑟-范波特燧石采石场之间航行时的旅行结果变异性。尽管最低成本分析表明了穿越 Scioto Valley 下游的最佳路线，但缺乏这条路线的考古证据。地貌和考古数据进一步表明，Scioto Valley 下游的遗址不完全是由于采样偏差造成的。反而，有证据表明，古印第安人更喜欢在俄亥俄州刷溪-贝克福克谷内旅行，尽管它穿越更崎岖、狭窄的地形的路径距离更长。由于晚更新世水体系统的随机性，可能穿越下 Scioto 谷地假设了结果的高度可变性。在这种情况下，感知结果的可变性似乎比直接减少能量和时间分配的努力更能影响古印第安人的旅行路线决策。