Frankel studied archaeology at the University of Sydney (BA (Hons) 1970, MA (Hons) 1973) and Gothenburg University Sweden (PhD), where he specialised in Cypriot prehistory.
He worked in the Department of Western Asiatic Antiquities, at the British Museum (1975–78) before returning to Australia in 1978 to take up a lectureship at La Trobe University.
As a student he excavated in New Zealand and Israel as well as Irrawang Pottery and Elizabeth Farm House in New South Wales and participated in two seasons of Sydney University’s excavations at Zagora in Greece.
[4] In 2015 he was awarded the Australian Archaeological Association's Rhys Jones Medal for outstanding contributions to the discipline.
His research interests include Australian Aboriginal archaeology with particular reference to south-eastern Australia and the archaeology of the Bronze Age of Cyprus having excavated in Papua New Guinea, Moonlight Head midden and Koongine Cave in Australia, and Marki Alonia, Deneia and Politiko Kokkinorotsos in Cyprus.