Projectile point · Late Archaic
McKean
2500–1000 BCE, Plains Archaic
The McKean point is a Middle to Late Archaic lanceolate of the Northern Plains, about 2,500 to 1,000 BCE, named after a site in Wyoming and defining the McKean complex with Duncan and Hanna points. It is found from Alberta to Colorado. Knife River flint and local quartzite are typical.
| Object | Projectile point |
|---|---|
| Dates | 2500–1000 BCE |
| Period | Late Archaic |
| Cultures | Plains Archaic |
| Regions | North America — Great Plains |
Diagnostic traits
Lanceolate with a notched, concave base and no shoulders; sides gently convex.
Identification
McKean is lanceolate with a notched, concave base, no shoulders and gently convex sides, unlike Duncan, which has a stem, and Hanna, which has shoulders and an expanding stem. Oxbow is earlier with eared notches. It is smaller than Paleoindian lanceolates and unground.
Reproductions and fakes
Rarely faked; the type is easily confused with Paleoindian lanceolates when the basal notch is faint. Lack of grinding and small size point to McKean.
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "McKean" (Artifact type). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/study/types/mckean. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-mckean,
title = {McKean},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/types/mckean}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.