A contemporary source is one that originates from the period of time you are studying. That is why some historians still refer to them as ‘first-hand accounts’ (or primary sources). Contemporary sources will have been produced by people who were alive during the period under scrutiny and who may have acted as ‘eyewitnesses’ to what was happening.
A trap you might fall into is to believe that contemporary sources are more valid and reliable than interpretations (analysis of contemporary sources made at a later date, usually by historians). This is not necessarily true. All historical sources, whatever their origin and nature, have strengths and limitations that impact their validity and reliability regardless of their provenance.
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