A run around the block!

    def element(self, _type, index=0):
        if isinstance(index, int):
            index = f'{_type.lower()}{index}'
        elif isinstance(index, tuple):
            index = list(index)

        def walk(parent):
            nodes = parent.get_nodes()

            if not isinstance(index, list) and index in nodes:
                return nodes[index]

            def get_element(_nodes):
                for node in _nodes.values():
                    if node.type == _type and index == node.id:
                        return node
                    if node.has_children:
                        node = walk(node)
                        if node:
                            return node
                return None

            if not isinstance(index, list) and index in nodes:
                return nodes[index]
            elif isinstance(index, list) and '/' in _type:
                elements = _type.split('/', 1)
                elm = self.element(elements[0], index[0])

                if len(index[1:]) == 1:
                    idx = f'{elements[1]}{index[1]}'.lower()
                    if idx in elm.nodes:
                        return elm.nodes[idx]
                else:
                    parts = elements[1].split('/')
                    idx = f'{parts[0]}{index[1]}'.lower()
                    if idx not in elm.nodes:
                        return None

                return elm.element(elements[1], index[1:])

            elif '/' in _type:
                elements = _type.split('/')
                elm = self.element(elements[0], 0)
                return elm.element(elements[1], 0)

            return get_element(nodes)

        return walk(self)