Did the Egyptians just live amongst all these pyramids, tombs, and artefacts - taking no notice of them until the arrival of the first western archaeologists?

by LounginInParadise

Or did they conduct their own discovery’s that we just never hear about?

mikedash

There is always more to say, but I answered a similar question here some time ago, and you might like to review that response while you wait for fresh answers to your query:

Were the pyramids still kept in repair at the time of Cleopatra?