Jaw-scarf

The Jaw-scarf (or in fancier settings, Veil of Reserve), is a traditional head-piece worn by Saurians during formal or government meetings and negotiations. The first layer is a cloth band that wraps around the Saurian's muzzle between the nostrils and corners of the mouth, secured with belts across the top of the nose and one across the back of the head, traditionally worn loose enough that regular speech is not impeded, but shouting or intimidating displays using teeth are difficult (though in the modern day many restrain the mouth very little, acting purely as decoration). Some Saurians prefer a simple version where that is the totality, but others have a second cloth layer on top that hide the buckles and hangs down well past the jawline. This second cloth is usually intricately decorated with embroidery or beading, often in patterns that denote the Saurian's position or family, especially in areas where bloodline is pertinent to hierarchy. The nature of the decorations tend to be regional, and may change as quickly as any fashion trend. Cities like Promenade which feature a great deal of trade put value on 'exotic' imported options like dyes and wooden beads from far away, while a city like Dasand situated near the mountains would show off a selection of sewn in jewels or metal wires and threads, as those are resources difficult for others to access.

The practice of wearing them began in southern Kayenta and spread outward as larger cities grew, and so necessitated more structured governments and inter-continental economics and communications. Initially simple leather straps that wrapped around the snout, they represented an agreement for all in the meeting that things would be discussed and settled peacefully, with no threat of teeth or claw, guaranteed by the literal restriction of their jaws to a limited range of motion. Over time they evolved into a symbol that the wearer was someone with importance or authority, and making them from various fabrics and adding the aforementioned accents and decorations became common.

In modern times, there is a section of the younger population of omnivores and carnivores ascending into positions that would usually require the wearing of jaw-scarves who refuse on the grounds that from their very creation the scarves were discriminatory toward non-herbivores. This is tolerated in some places as merely a form of rebellion (with the assumption by many older citizens that they'll eventually fall in line), but in smaller populations, especially those that are indeed predominantly herbivorous, it is considered threatening. Those who refuse may be asked (or forced) to leave the meeting, and not allowed back in until they're wearing the restraint. This, notably, has done nothing to decrease the discussion, with ideas tossed around ranging from completely discarding the jaw-scarves, to requiring races with their own defenses (such as Ceratian's horns) to in some way dull those.