The Herati pattern — also called Mahi (the Persian word for fish) — is one of the most widely used field patterns in the Persian rug tradition. The motif consists of:
- A central rosette or flower
- A diamond or lozenge frame enclosing the rosette
- Four curved leaves positioned outside the diamond, one in each corner
The four curved leaves are the source of the "fish" nickname — viewers historically interpreted them as fish swimming around a central pond. The full Herati design is built up as a repeating all-over pattern that fills the rug's field, often in fine and elaborate detail.
The pattern is associated with the city of Herat (now in Afghanistan, historically an important Persian cultural center), though it is no longer primarily produced there. Today, the Herati pattern appears prominently in:
- Tabriz — especially the Mahi Tabriz, one of the city's signature designs
- Bijar — Herati Bijar is a classic combination
- Hamadan village rugs — often the entire field is a single all-over Herati
- Feraghan, Senneh, Malayer, and many other regional weavings
The Herati pattern can appear at very different scales — from a tight, fine repeat in a Tabriz workshop rug to a much larger, bolder version in a village or tribal piece. It is one of the most recognizable Persian rug patterns and a useful identifier when evaluating provenance.