Eckbach (Rhein)
| Eckbach | |
|---|---|
Eckbach between Dirmstein and Laumersheim
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| Country | Germany |
| Location | Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Basin features | |
| Main source | near Carlsberg-Hertlingshausen, 313 m (1,027 ft) 49°29′46.67″N 8°0′52.02″E / 49.4962972°N 8.0144500°E |
| River mouth | Confluence with Rhine at Worms, 90 m (300 ft) 49°36′30.45″N 8°24′6.68″E / 49.6084583°N 8.4018556°ECoordinates: 49°36′30.45″N 8°24′6.68″E / 49.6084583°N 8.4018556°E |
| Progression | Rhine → North Sea |
| River system | Rhine |
| Basin size | 217.847 km2 (84.111 sq mi) |
| Tributaries |
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 39.27 km (24.40 mi) |
The Eckbach (locally known as the Eck and in the lower reaches also as Neugraben or Leiniger Graben) is a small river in the northeastern Palatinate and the southeastern Rhenish Hesse. It is slightly over 39 kilometres (24 mi) long.
Linguistic Research into the old name of die Eck shows that it is related to the Upper German word Ache, which means "river" or "creek" and is derived from the Old High German aha.
In the Middle Ages, the river was known as Leinbach. This name refers to the Leinbaum, that is, the Lime tree (Tilia × europaea L., not related to the Citrus aurantifolia, the tree that produces the lime (fruit)). In those days, both the Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) and the Large-leaved Linden (Tilia platyphyllos) were called Leinbaum in German. Both species were common on the banks of the Eckbach. One difference between the species is the shape of the leaves: maple leaves are five lobed, lime leaves are undivided. The coat of arms of the House of Leiningen shows a stylized tree with five-lobed leaves and five-pointed flowers clearly point to a maple. The House of Leiningen originated in the area around the upper Eckbach. It is entirely possible that they named their ancestral castle after the river. The family was later named after their castle and the area around the upper Eckbach is now called Leininger Land.
In the early 19th century, the local name of the river was Eck, as it is today. The Kingdom of Bavaria acquired the Palatinate in 1816. When Bavarian cartographers mapped the area, they were unaware of the meaning of the word Eck and wanted to make it clear that the "Eck" is a brook, so they recorded the name as Eckbach. Linguistically speaking, this name means "brook brook".
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Wikipedia