About Arcas
Arcas was founded in 1981 by Arnoud Stryd and Steve Lawhead in response to an emerging demand for archaeological consulting services in BC. Often considered an acronym, the company actually was named after the classical Greek mythological figure Arcas, a hunter who was transformed into a bear and placed in the sky as the Ursa Minor constellation. As a constellation that never “rests” (because it does not dip below the horizon), and as a protector of travelers and explorers, it was considered a suitable name for a consulting company committed to not resting until a quality job was completed, and dedicated to exploring the human history of all parts of the province and beyond.
Originally based in Kamloops, Arcas initially focused on impact assessments for developments in the Thompson-Okanagan region of British Columbia. Over the years Arcas has added staff, moved its head office to Vancouver, broadened the range of services provided and developed expertise in all parts of British Columbia and adjacent areas. Arcas has been a leader in the development of culturally modified tree (CMT) studies, and the author of the original BC Ministry of Forests handbook on the identification and recording of culturally modified trees. Arcas also has been a leader in the development of GIS-based archaeological predictive modeling. Since its founding, Arcas has worked closely with local First Nations, employing and training community members, and building relationships, most of which remain strong to this day. Arcas projects have over the years made significant contributions to archaeological knowledge and understanding of the human past, both on the coast and in the interior of British Columbia. Findings have been published in journals and books, or have been made available in easy-to-access report format. The four-volume report on excavations at Tsawwassen is a good example of the contribution that consulting archaeology can make to scientific knowledge. Arcas also has, over the years, advanced the stewardship of British Columbia’s non-renewable archaeological resources by identifying potential impacts to archaeological sites by proposed developments, by developing innovative solutions to avoid or minimize effects on archaeological sites, and by implementing comprehensive mitigation measures where needed.
Arcas also is in the forefront of introducing powerful methodologies to the business side of archaeological consulting. In 2005 Arcas implemented a second round of strategic planning, adopted project management and quality management systems, and initiated a third-party client satisfaction survey for feedback and identification of improvement opportunities. Arcas is committed to being an enterprise that not only does excellent work but is also highly professional and built to last.