Village unearthed in Egypt's Nile Delta predated pharaohs, archaeologists say

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a village in the Nile Delta dating back to before the pharaohs.

The discovery is one of the oldest villages ever found in the area, officials said.

The Neolithic site was discovered in Tell el-Samara, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) north of Cairo, the Antiquities Ministry revealed.

Chief archaeologist Frederic Gio said his team found silos containing animal bones and food, indicating human habitation as early as 5,000 BC.

That would be some 2,500 years before the Giza pyramids were built.

In recent years, Egypt has touted discoveries in the hopes of reviving tourism after the unrest that followed its 2011 popular uprising.

Additional reporting by Press Association.