Abstract
The authors reconsider the solutions of the Bethe ansatz equations for the antiferromagnetic XXZ model in the easy axis region. The excitations are obtained by leaving holes in the ground state distribution of the momenta and allowing for complex rapidities. Equations for the parameters of the holes are given and it is shown that the higher level equations contrary to earlier results have the same structure as in the planar region. The existence of degenerate ground states is demonstrated, and it is also shown that distinct sets of excited states with analogous structure exist above both ground states.