Inspirations of Adam of Bremen. Comparative Source Criticism

Adam of Bremen was one of the most important chronicles of the eleventh century. He wrote a chronicle Gesta Hamburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum. This work is full of information. Many of them are about northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland and the mysterious Vinland. However, the question is what is true, what has been taken from other sources, what content has survived to our time. This paper presents criticism of the source in the context of Vinland. On individual examples, we explain what elements of the chronicler's description were taken, and what might be original. In addition, we try to answer a question about the multiple processing and borrowings of one source content by other documents. Finally, we hypothesize that the work of Adam of Bremen contributed to the creation of Vinland's vision in the written sagas.