Wooden container for I.D

[Rick]

Is the flat side a stretched skin?
Could it be a hawking drum of some sort?

[Robert]

Oil storage for a whale-oil or kerosene lamp wick assembly which would be put in place of the stopper?

This would be my guess as well, an old smudge pot just missing the wick assembly. These would use just about any oil that would burn, from kerosene and other petroleum oils to whale and olive oil. Does it have any distinct smell when the plug is removed?

Best,
Robert