This weekend has been hot in Portland. Instead of being outside most of the day, I was able to finish reading The Virgin’s Knot by Holly Payne. This is the second Middle Eastern novel I’ve recently come across with historical and cultural references to weaving.

The story is set in Turkey, in a remote village in the mountains. The virgin weaver known for her healing rugs must remain pure for Allah to weave through her. Polio crippled her as a child and no man will want her as his wife. Her rugs are highly prized—parents must bid on her rugs for their daughters’ dowries.

The pace of the story quickens when an anthropologist arrives looking for evidence of the goddess Cybelle. He wants to prove his theory of a past where women were celebrated and respected. The conflict of his views of women in society with the traditions of this village creates another thread in the story.

Holly Payne’s main female character Nurdane is not supposed to be able to read and write. Yet woven into her rugs is a language of symbols only the women understand. The anthropologist knows there is much to learn about this language, but the symbolism is only touched on in this story. The potential of learning more of the symbolism and the magic of the region could be further expanded.