Looks like it might have been a lamp.

That is what I thought at first but the figure is only about 6" high and not very heavy. The hole goes straight into his back and there is not room for a bend once the lamp fixture was inserted inside. It was made with the hole because there is small run of green from his jacket on the edge.

I cleaned it up and put it on a shelf but those openings still bother me...can't figure it out...lol.

Thanks

I think it's an incensor -- incense cones were burnt in it. The larger, lower hole allows you to insert the incense and the smoke comes out the upper one.

Those holes may be an artifact of the casting process. Hollow castings made by the slip mold process need a drain hole to pour out the excess molding 'slip'. Lack of sharp edges is a common feature of slip molding.

Stafford cottage pastille (incense) burners have these holes. The smoke comes out the chimney of the cottage -- it's a little less attractive having it come out of the man's ears!

It's a pastille burner.
A slip drain hole is much different...small and more or less hidden.