Transcription of rules and ornaments using an entity reference
The WWP defines a rule as a straight line (single or in combination), including straight lines with a swelling in the middle or other sorts of minor detailing. The WWP uses #rule, attached to the renditional data of the appropriate element (either preceding or following the ruled line) to encode any form of ruled lines occurring anywhere within our texts. We do not record the length of the rule, nor whether it is single or multiple. Therefore, if a double-ruled line appears immediately before the heading of a chapter, it would be properly encoded as: <head rend="pre(#rule)">Chapter One</head>
We define an ornament as any non-textual, non-representational feature of the page which is not a rule. Typically an ornament is an abstract design, possibly repeated in rows or clusters and serving as a border or divider, but also possibly appearing simply as decoration randomly on the page. We do not encode ornaments where they occur in running headers or footers, since we do not currently encode headers or footers. The WWP uses #ornament to encode all ornaments. Where ornaments are grouped in rows or clusters we use a single entity reference for the entire group rather than enumerating each ornament separately.
Where possible, rules and ornaments should be encoded as delimiters on an element, rather than as content, using the pre() or post() keyword of the element’s rend attribute. For examples see the entry on “Rules and ornaments: use as delimiters”, 107.
Graphic features of the page which are representational (for instance, emblems, heraldry, portraits, illustrations, and the like) should be encoded using figure. See 106 for more on figures.