The creation of the ‘Bibliography of Prehistory and Anthropology of the Canary Islands’ (BPAC) involved significant challenges regarding the definition of disciplinary boundaries and the selection of relevant references for the study of indigenous societies and their evolution in the archipelago[1]. According to Fernando Estévez González, M. Teresa Henríquez Sánchez, and Pedro A. Díaz Rodríguez, a major issue was establishing the limits between prehistory, anthropology, and related disciplines, as well as deciding whether to include non-academic literature[1].
The BPAC acknowledges that, due to the historical evolution of these disciplines and the current configuration of their research interests, it is complex to draw clear boundaries between prehistory, anthropology, and areas such as ethnography, ethnohistory, ethnolinguistics, folklore, ancient history, and physical archaeology[1]. Furthermore, non-academic literature in the Canary Islands, especially in these fields, is considerable and of varying interest, but not negligible, as many academic authors use it in their research[1].
For this reason, the authors chose not to excessively restrict the disciplinary boundaries of the bibliography. They included references that, while not specifically about prehistory or anthropology, provide relevant information for these disciplines, either because they address topics traditionally studied by prehistorians and anthropologists, or because they are frequently used in their work[1]. Among these references are historical works prior to the main coverage period, as well as recent contributions on the colonization of the islands and studies on the acculturation of indigenous populations[1].
The BPAC also pays attention to travel literature and historiographical production from different eras, recognizing that it is often difficult to determine their ethnographic or anthropological value[1]. Under the labels of prehistory and social and cultural anthropology, the bibliography aims to be exhaustive in subdisciplines such as archaeology, physical anthropology, ethnoarchaeology, ethnography, ethnology, ethnolinguistics, and folklore[1].
Regarding publication types, the BPAC includes both serial publications and monographs, polygraphs, and conference papers. Selectively, it also incorporates press articles and popular magazines, as well as works classified as grey literature (reports, memoirs, unpublished materials with restricted circulation), when they are particularly relevant or fill gaps in academic production in certain fields[1].
The BPAC’s coverage spans all scientific-academic production on the prehistory and anthropology of the Canary Islands, published inside or outside the archipelago, by Canarian and foreign authors, from the 19th century up to the edition’s date, along with a significant number of related and popular publications[1].