Egyptian authorities on Tuesday announced the discovery of a 3400-year-old enclosure wall around Giza's Sphinx, presumably erected to protect the celebrated landmark from desert winds.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Culture, two sections of the enclosure wall were discovered, one 86 meters long and 75 cm high and the other 46 meters long and 90 cm high.

In the statement, Supreme Council for Antiquities Secretary-General Zahi Hawass said the enclosure had been part of the wall currently located on the north side of the Sphinx--built by King Thutmose IV (1419 - 1410 BC)--to protect the monument from wind erosion.

Hawass explained that, according to ancient Egyptian texts, a huge wall 12 meters long and three meters high was built by the pharaoh after the Sphinx appeared to him in a dream to complain that it was being choked by sand.

The mud-brick wall was found in front of the valley temple of King Khafre in the Giza Pyramid Complex, the statement noted.

Hawass said the wall was composed of two sections, the first located east of the temple and Sphinx and running north to south, and the second located south of the temple and running east to west. He added that the two sections intersected on the south side of the eastern wall.

Al Masry Al Youm