Very Strange Antique Pottery Piece! HELP!!

I have had this for years and still have no idea what it is? Clearly something goes in the top and drains to the bottom, then collects in the “LIPS” area. (where you drink in from???) The top looks like something burned in it. This is about 5 inches tall, some type of cup maybe, the ears are handles? It is glazed on the outside, glaze has small glassy crystals and pieces of gold in it. Any clues on what this is? Looks like a monkey to me? Appears to be quite old.

 

Looks like a small clay brazier.

 

It may be for burning incense. Small candle/charcoal in the base, and the resin in a small dish (now missing) on top.

 

I would agree, it's a small brazier, or stove, for cooking. Many ethnic groups, especially in Asia, made similar pieces, which were especially useful where there wasn't an abundance of fuel. For awhile I actually collected them, and had some from the Philippines, Thailand, China, and Indonesia, since there is an amazing variety of styles.

I would doubt if it is glazed, however. It appears to be a single-fired micaceous clay piece. The little "gold" flecks are mica. The spots that show up on what I assume is the bottom, are from inclusions in the clay, and pop out during the original firing, common on locally dug clay that hasn't been processed to exclude them. The darker areas commonly occur when the clay is fired outdoors in a pit firing or bonfire, and are a permanent part of the fired pot, sometimes referred to as a "firecloud."