The Dorsal View of the skull (See Dorsal View above) has U.S.S. Warren etched into the surface. The U.S.S. Warren was a Sloop-of war that was built in Newburyport (Webster), Massachusetts in 1799. (The vessel was laid down in late September of that year and commissioned in November. It is rated at 24 guns with a displacement of 385 tons.

The first three months of the Warren's log can be found at the Peabody-Essex Museum. The vessel at that time was commanded by Tim Neuman and primarily served as an escort vessel in the Caribbean. In all likelihood this Loggerhead turtle (

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Sea Tortoise) was captured during this - or a subsequent voyage. The turtle may have been slaughtered then for food or simply put into the hold of the vessel for later consumption. There is an interesting hole on the left side of the turtles skull. (Possibly grazed by a bullet to stun it - all sorts of hypothesizing is possible.)

Question - Why did Phillips Exeter Academy end up with this artifact. The initial B.F.K. are undoubtedly those of the engraver. The name Bartholomew Kimball occurs in the Academy records for 1786. All 1786 tells us is that he was here in 1786, not how long he stayed or where he went. Kimball is a fairly common name in the Exeter area, however census records at that time only listed heads of households, not individual family members. The name Bartholomew Kimball has not come up - to-date - in any census records or probated wills.