A site at Penny's Bay, where thousands of fragments of porcelain have been excavated, has yielded the largest collection of relics dating from the Ming dynasty.
The findings, released by archaeologists, had not been disclosed before except in their internal journals.
The bay, the site for the proposed Disneyland theme park on Lantau Island, could have been used as a pirates' enclave, the findings show.
It could also have been used by smugglers exporting quality materials overseas.
It is also likely the bay was an essential shelter for trade ships travelling between southern China and Southeast Asia, where sailors would rest, unload and clear broken porcelain from their boats.
Fragments of good quality blue-and-white porcelain have been found scattered in streams and on slopes with 98 per cent dating back to 1480-1520.
