University of Bologne Engineer Digs Up Alien Artefacts in Mexico?

A report on Research Gate Italian researcher and engineer Alberto Donini and Swiss researcher and journalist Tomas Hrico is an account of the discovery of three apparently ancient artefacts allegedly depicting aliens (Alberto Donini, Tomas Hrico 'Remarkable Artifact discoveries in Mexico', Reseach gate Nov 2025). Donini works for the University of Bologna, Italy, Hrico describes himself as 'Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association (AAS RA), 3800 Interlaken, Switzerland'. The artefacts were dug up at Cerro del Toro (Hill of the Bull) near the Mexican town of Ojuelos de Jalisco, a place to which the authors were taken by the guide Juan Cardenas from Ojuelos.

"Based on personal exchanges with fellow researchers around the world and an extensive online investigation, Alberto Donini and Tomas Hrico travel to Mexico in early 2025 to verify the accuracy of the information they have previously gathered. During an expedition into the nature, led by a local tour guide, they excavate three small artifacts (two made of stone and one of burned clay), which are buried around 20-50 cm under the soil. The treasure trove is well hidden among cacti and bushes and is situated close to Cerro del Toro (Hill of the Bull) [...] To operate completely legally, the two researchers obtain access and excavation permission from the land owner before starting their expedition in March 02, 2025. Deep in the field, equipped with pickaxes and a dagger, Donini and Hrico begin to excavate and spend the next four hours documenting meticulously their work with photographs and videos.[...] The first artifact made of stone appears after around three hours of digging during which several bigger stone rocks need to be removed and thick roots to be destroyed. [...] Approximately 40 minutes later, the third object (a small figurine) is discovered: the one and only find made of burned clay (probably of terracotta) and therefore datable by using the thermoluminescence method. [...] Once back in Switzerland, Tomas Hrico visits the “Laboratory Kotalla” in Germany to have this third find to be analysed by TL. Two days later he receives the positive results showing the six centimeters-tall figurine to be around 2130 years old! [...] In order to prevent any criticism and to additionally confirm the ancient age of the little figurine respectively the high quality of the working method used by “Laboratory Kotalla”, a second analysis was conducted by “Oxford Authentication Ltd” – a professional facility in England."

Wow, eh? These objects are illustrated below, first the engraved stone plaques:

and then the fired clay 'figurine'

The 'excavation records' (photos) show no attempt was made to humidify the soil to allow any colour changes to be identified, the photos show them grabbing around in dried dusty lumps of root-riddled loam so the excavators' assertion that "there are no disturbances caused by previous digs – soil, vegetation and root system are completely untouched" are totally meaningless. An authorization or permit is strictly required to conduct archaeological investigations in Mexico. According to the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic and Historical Zones and Monuments, all archaeological exploration, excavation, or removal of materials must be authorized by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). The "landowner's permission" (and do they have this at third hand from the tour guide or actually have it in writing?) is not enough. A permit is also needed to remove artefacts from the country to take to laboratories in Switzerland and the UK. Do Donini and Hrico have (a) an excavation permit and (b) an export licence for the artefacts, or did they do both illegally?

Fortunately there are some doubts about what they actually found. Despite the assertions over the TL dates from both Laboratory Kotalla and Oxford Authentication Ltd, all three fall stylistically into the range of 'artefacts' from eBay sold to tourists as "ancient alien carvings". It is odd that digging at the place their guide pointed them to, the diggers only found those three artefacts, no other finds being reported. I think these are tourist fakes.